The Rescue
by Infatuated-Simplicity
Summary: She was no damsel in distress. She would do what she had to in order to protect Konoha and her fellow nins. Now all she has to do is get free. Thankfully she is not alone in enemy territory. GaaraxSakura.
1. Chapter 1

Authors Note: So this is AU to an extent. The war has happened, the only difference is that Sasuke never comes home. He remains on his quest for revenge. In that way we end up with a very different Sakura... or at least not one who takes a huge step back in her character development. This is an independent Sakura who is fierce and while she does care about Sasuke he is not her whole world. The new guard of Kages are stepping up but we are not quite to the point where Naruto's generation of kages is fully in place. Sasuke is still a sound nin.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters.

* * *

The sound of crashing trees and crumbling earth filled the forest as she attacked the nins before her.

"Shit!" she heard a nin shout as she deflecting a water jutsu with the backs of her forearms.

"Sakura-san!" Lady Katsuyu cried from underneath her. "You must get back to Konoha."

Another nin jumped onto the slugs back only to find Sakura's fist in her face. From her vantage point she could see more nins standing ready in the forest near by. There was at least one elite squad and what looked like another two jonin squads waiting in the wings. They just kept coming as if they were trying to corral her into a corner or possibly capture her. Worse yet she had already announced that she meant no harm.

That fact had not deterred this group of Kumo nins. Initially she had thought they were caught off guard when they found a team of Konoha elites making their way through territory unannounced but this was not Kumo territory to begin with. Instead of squaring off and asking questions they immediately began to attack. There was something not right about the whole situation.

She was glad she had sent her team back to Konoha when she had.

"Katsuyu-sama, tell Tsunade-shishou how many of ours are injured. And that..." Sakura paused before taking a deep breath. "and that I'll do my best to make it back."

Sakura felt the quiver of held back emotions from under her feet but the great healer did her summoners bidding, disappearing in a plume of smoke. Sakura would stay here and hold off the enemy until someone arrived. But if she was being honest Kumo had anticipated their numbers and had sent more than enough of their own elites to keep her at bay. What they had not expected her to do was send away her team. Without any Konoha nins to get in the crossfire or in need of healing she could cut loose.

The sound of lightning striking the earth near by did not still her movements, but she did curse under her breath. This would not end well. What on earth was the Raikage doing here?

She wanted to groan. She was right; this was no accident. She had suspected as much when they had been intercepted, but she had been further out from the village than safety would usually allow. She had expected there to be short altercation while they all discovered that none of them were missing nins before moving on their respective ways. Her mission to help a village in the land of water had gone well, but the trip back had been delayed by storms and they had to dock unexpectedly. Instead of delay further she had opted to get off the boat and continue to Konoha on foot.

That plan had been going well until now. She really wanted to curse again, but she was doing her best not to give away her presence. She pulled her hood further down to make sure the shock of petal pink that always gave her identity away was still covered. As it stood they probably had a pretty good idea as to whom they had cornered, which in a way was disturbing. No doubt they knew it was a medic nin that had been sent to Kiri, but it could have been one of many. Now they knew it to be one of two, for while Shizune was medically proficient, Katsuyu was not her summon. That left the monstrous strength of either Tsunade or Sakura. Letting out a well deserved 'Shannaro!' would have given her away. And she was beginning to believe that they were after her shishou. Politically holding an ex-kage was far better than detaining anyone else save the current Kage. So she braced herself and came up with a plan. Holding them here for as long as she could was the best course of action.

She darted between the trees, setting traps as she went. She had been restraining herself earlier, that was true, but now her team was well clear of her destructive power so she decided to cut loose. The Raikage was strong, and very cunning. Plus she was outnumbered and she had been taken off guard.

They had a treaty with Kumo, a tentative one, but a treaty never the less. Kumo was clearly breaking it. She did not really have time to think about why that was right now. For as long as she could she would try to buy time for her fellow nins to get away and, if she could, get away herself.

Things were quiet for a heart beat as the lightning stilled. The outline of the bulky man was lit up by his flashy arrival not too far off. She did not stop. While his hesitation could mean any number of things, one move from him could be her death. She watched them carefully they seemed to be waiting for something.

She sensed the dark aura of someone approach faster than should have been possible. She felt his presence as he appeared behind her and turned to face him. Her eyes widened and for an instant she wondered if he was there to help her.

"Sakura." The tone of his voice did not say much, but the coldness that exuded from him did. The Raikage alone she might be able to handle, even with his extra nins. But this man as well... She would try but the odds were stacked against her. All she could to now was give her colleagues a chance to get home alive. She shifted her eyes down, determined to avoid any more pain than was necessary.

She began running through hand symbols as quickly as she could lacing all of her limbs with chakra. He was her superior in taijutu but a hit from her would still break his bones. The heal of her boot caught his sword and the metal shattered. She kept her eyes on his feet all the while sending tremors through the land to keep the other nins from getting too comfortable or close. One of her bombs went off to the right and the scream told her that the target had been hit.

She heard the hiss of a snake and immediately jumped into the air piercing it with senbon, sending a few behind her to be safe. She was glad she had as her attacker had no choice but to give her a little space. She landed and ripped a tree from the ground sending it flying towards two incoming Kumo nins.

A's lightning jumped around the ever shifting forest floor. "Is it her?" he asked coming in fast. She felt a pair of fingers graze the back of her hood. She pulled away but the damage had been done. The garment slipped just enough to show a few identifiable strands of pink hair. That had been purely for the Raikage's peace of mind. The dark haired man behind her had known her just from seeing the fleeting glimpse of green as she shifted her eyes.

Sakura bit the inside of her cheek. It was too late now, but had she known it was her they were after and not her Shishou she might have gone with a slightly different tactic. No point crying over spilled milk.

She heard the familiar squeal of the chidori at her right thigh and knew better than to hope it was Kakashi-sensei's. She released her justu, sending a wall of earth up behind her as she charged the Kumo leader. He had the decency to wince when the left hand punch from her jab-cross combo snuck between his arms and tagged the third and fourth ribs on his right side. She immediately dropped down and kicked up with her hands on the broken ground. When she hit nothing she flipped around and brought her leg down before her. She heard the wall at her back crumble and sent her chakra out from her hands. The scalpel pierced a limb, she could tell from the audible sound of him grinding his perfect teeth to avoid making a noise.

So he was still human after all. She was beginning to wonder.

The hood that covered her head fell away completely exposing her hair and hi-ate. She saw the look of determination cross the Raikages features and instantly felt the need to get away as quickly as possible.

"Do it now." His smooth baritone, usually so calm, was rushed and she immediately recognised the betrayal. She felt his hand clasp onto her shoulder and braced for the impact of the lightning. It was a milder version of his usual technique that coursed through her system causing her body to seize. Her mind screamed at her to move but she could not. He had her arms pinned at her sides. As the lighting dissipated she rocked her head back in an attempt to knock him out but he dodged the motion, the back of her skull hitting his jaw instead where she felt the bone give way with a snap. Maybe that would wipe the smirk off his handsome features for a time.

"Now!" came the shout from the man who knew her too well. She prepared to release her seal and felt the pressure of chakra laden fingers on the insides of her wrists.

Nothing. She had no chakra. And with no chakra there was very little she could do except struggle and hope someone was on their way. She felt the pressure of a boot in the back of her knees and fell forward. They bound her hands and feet quickly as she wriggled and bucked in a futile attempted to free herself from his grasp. With her chakra blocked and her limbs bound all she could do seethe. And shout.

The Raikage ran a hand through his short hair, watching her cautiously. Mismatched eyes were also watching her as she glared at him, praying that her gaze would suddenly become as lethal as his was. He was stone faced but she could tell something was bothering him. He reached out to gag her and she growled.

"Sasuke, you bast-" Her words were cut off, but they all knew where it had been going. His eyes creased faintly as she tried to lunge at him.

"Lets go," A stated, signally to his nins to move out. Swiftly, if a little apprehensively, he threw her over his shoulder, allowing her to glare at her old teammate as he turned to walk way. "We will send you your dues," he said to the Sannin knowing that his captive was still screaming obcenitites at the man through her gag. However, he had the feeling that the look of betrayal and the pure rage that was radiating from her green eyes was doing far more damage to the Sound nin as emerald orbs burrowed holes into his soul as they made their exit.

She missed the grimace that caused Sasuke to turn away when she was no longer close enough see it as he jumped back into the demolished forest.

* * *

To say that Gaara was uncomfortable was an understatement. He was doing his best not to let it show of course. When A said he wanted to renegotiate their treaties before the summit he was rather agitated about having to travel to Kumo early in order to do so, but ultimately was willing to accommodate the Raikage to keep the peace.

There had been a tension growing in the years since the war that none of them could seem to shake. Yes, they had all fought side by side but as was often the case when there was no common enemy to band against, old squabbles arose. He was doing his best to avoid another confrontation, so was Naruto, but the smaller nations were all beginning to take sides, vying for protection as they had in years past.

Upon his initial entry to the hidden village he was surprised to find the guard looking a little frazzled, and the villagers more than a little on edge. His instinct was to assume it ws due to his presence but after a few moments he realised that was not the case. With his interested piqued he started to pay very close attention. He had learned years before that brute force was often a last resort. So he listened and learned at every opportunity he could. He tuned in to the gossip that flittered through the villagers like a disease. Eventually he picked up on the crux of the issue. A captive, and a strong one at that, had been paraded through the city hardly half an hour before. And who ever it was had made quiet the fuss.

"Call a medic nin!" One man shouted as Gaara approached the Raikage's office.

"Godaime Kazekage-sama, please have a seat." One of A's lackeys directed him to the waiting room.

Gaara looked around and felt his blood still in his veins. Something had crashed through here and the room had been hastily put back together, but not well enough. The furniture was damaged to such an extent that some of the legs were cracked and wobbly. The wood and glass coffee table leaned precariously to one side as little cubes of glass were fell away onto the floor.

If he had to guess, the scuffle had occurred while the prisoner had been brought through. It was odd for a prisoner to be held in a kage's office and not a cell, but they must have had their reasons. No doubt the Kumo nins had sealed their prisoners chakra. That being the case, it was either a very large male or...

The scream that echoed through the office was rage filled and blood curdling. It sounded familiar, a warriors cry from someone about to attack whether futile or not. He knew it from the battlefield. He felt the color drain from his face and his heart raise into his throat.

Those fools! What had they done?

He willed his pulse to stop thumping erratically and took a deep breath. He could not let shock or anger or outrage rule him, never mind the fact that they had _her._

His sand swirled in the gourd wanting to rip through any that had dared to hurt her. They would not have known how precious she was to him; no one did. As with everything, he had kept the details of his affection for her a secret until he knew what to do with it. And of course there was her open attachment to the Uchiha to keep in mind. Never the less, he had made it a point to get closer to her over the years, sure that when the time was right and she was ready they could broach the possibility together.

Right now he was not sure that course of action had been wise. Part of him wanted to think that if she had been with him, in Suna, this might not have happened. While Naruto's power often had men quake in their boots when he stood before them ready to fight, Gaara's pure wrath struck the fear of Kami in them with a glance.

He heard a growl and a great deal of commotion in the room beyond. While he highly suspected it was her he would not move in, guns blazing so to speak. He prepared to send his sand in to investigate but remembered that he was not the only one in the room.

He needed to play his cards very carefully here. The attendants were watching him closely. As much as he wanted to burst into the office and demand to know what was happening, he needed to get a handle on the situation.

It was no secret that both he and Naruto had been struggling with A as of late, but it did not warrant any action this drastic. And why call him here knowing that his connections with Konoha would demand that he intervene in a very public manner? There was a great deal at play and he was sure he was missing at least one vital piece of the puzzle. He needed to think it over. In his youth he may have rushed in and caused a ruckus, but he had the feeling they were expecting him to do that. They would not have marched him in here if they did not want to get a rise out of him when he discovered who their captive was. They wanted him to know.

"The restraints have been tightened. Take her to a cell," Darui drawled as he opened the door, giving Gaara visual confirmation of what he had already known. Crouched on the ground glaring at anyone that got close was Haruno Sakura, looking for all the world like a caged tigress. Emerald eyes flitted around her enemies until they landed on his face and utter shock crossed her features. Hurt, anger, betrayal were there as they locked eyes and the need to rush in and remove her from this place was causing him to shake. But now he knew for certain that it was what they were expecting. His sand jumped and it took all of his considerable control to stop it from lashing out. A squad of elite guards were standing at the ready inside the office watching him. There were more scattered about the building. They wanted him to act aggressively. It was part of their plan.

The door shut, and with it the line of sight he had to her closed. A rage he had not felt in a long time welled up in his chest and he felt the overwhelming desire to crush someone with his sand. But that was not who he was any more. That was not the man she knew and he would not become such a monster again.

"Kazekage-sama," Darui greeted in his typical laid back manner his hand still not the door he had just closed. "Sorry for the wait. A-boss will see you now." Gaara noted that the man did not seem pleased with the situation. Sakura had helped Kumo a great deal in the war but he was also not the type of go against his Kage. Darui was loyal to a fault and no matter A's reasoning the man would see his Kage's will done.

Gaara narrowed his black rimmed gaze at the Raikage's right hand man. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked as calmly as he could.

The door closed to the office as Darui guided him into a mission briefing room. "Sorry, I'm not at liberty to say. A-boss has his reasons. He might explain them to you."

Gaara knew that was all he would get from this man. He entered the room and sat down before the Raikage who looked winded. His chest heaved and it made Gaara wonder if it had been the ageing kage himself who had gone to intercept Sakura. One look at a broken arm that dangled next to him told all. The Kage had in fact been the one to retrieve the worlds most powerful medic. It was clear that the battle had taken a toll, as had the struggle she had put up after being restrained. The Kage should have known better than to go after the Haruno Sakura and expect her to come along quietly.

For a time the two powerful leaders sat in silence. The clock on the wall ticked loudly in the stone chamber reminding Gaara of the impending meeting they were all meant to be attending. Blonde brows were knitted in pain and frustration. Gaara liked to think that the frustration was due to his unexpected cool in the situation.

"Naruto will be here soon," Gaara said quietly pinning the larger man down with another glare. Before he went storming in to rectify the situation he needed to know why Kumo was breaking the treaties. There had to be a reason, arguably not a justified one, but a reason regardless. He watched as A twinged, his hand twitching in pain. The older man looked away and Darui immediately turned to his Kage. Gaara took the opportunity to send a thin tendril of sand under the door. With both of their focus changed for a moment there would be no better time to send out a scout.

"What of it?" the man barked at him. A was notoriously ill-mannered and that did not abate when in the presence of those he considered his equals. All Gaara needed to do to convey his point was raise his brow. They both knew how Naruto would react when he received the report that Sakura had been taken. None of them wanted to be on the receiving end of the mans destructive power. "Let the brat rage all he likes. He won't get here in time."

The kanji on his brow crinkled. "In time for?"

"Never you mind," the lightning user snapped, clearly agitated, as he continued to nurse his shattered arm. "Let's get started. Here's our list." The pair of them had taken to just exchanging lists in the past. It was better than fighting it out over a table, A screaming and Gaara sitting opposite completely blank faced, neither willing to back down. The red head went over the list the Raikage handed him carefully and stood. Suna would not give him an inch on any of these points. A knew that already.

Gaara turned to leave sending one final warning glare over his shoulder, receiving a snarl in return.

He turned the corner barely noticing his guard as they followed him. He heard the order through the door, "Don't let him out of your sight."

Gaara scoffed silently. As if they could hope to notice when he made his move. For now she was safe and he had more intel to gather. He wanted to know what was going on and why in Kami's name A had chosen to do something so reckless, knowing two Kage's would be at his throat for it.

* * *

Sakura had been dumb founded. The treaty was broken and soon enough war was about to be upon them once more. It seemed like she was going to be the catalyst for this conflict and she could not say she was happy about it. She was screaming mad and she made sure everyone they passed knew she was putting up a fight.

They had gagged her but her muffled shouts would continue until she lost her voice. Her legs and arms were bound with metal clamps. She had already broken through the normal ones, so they had to resort to the more barbaric version. The metal casings kept slamming against the floor as she protested. She supposed if she had put up less of a fight they would not have needed to hog tie her. She had probably left the waiting room a total wreck when she broke through the original bindings. And she had bitten at least two people, hence the other reason for the gag being kept in place.

She was outraged. A gone back on his word, but to add insult to injury Sasuke had assisted him in taking her captive. Not only that it seemed that the Uchiha had some sort of reason for wanting her captured. The good news is that they wanted her alive, for now anyway. If not she would have been dead already.

But when she saw Gaara... her stomach had dropped and she felt as if someone had ripped her in two. Did he know about this? Had he been an accomplice in it? The thought effected her more than she expected and she realised that somewhere along the way she had started getting close to the man, attached even.

They had moved her quickly, only letting her get a glimpse of Gaara. If his wide eyes and jumping sand were anything to go by he seemed to have no prior knowledge of her capture. Even so she did not think they would be giving him the opportunity to find out where she was.

Of course it was possible that he was just surprised because he did not expect her to find out he was there. Naruto would be devastated if it was true but the more she thought about it the more she realised that there was no real way to know for sure. After all, Gaara's priority was Suna. It was not his responsibility to save a Konoha nin, nor should he if there was the chance that by doing so he would endanger his own people. And if he was in on it, she truly believed that it was not personal. Not that the thought made her feel much better about the issue, but at least there was that minute silver lining.

Either way she was not anticipating a rescue. Well, not right now anyway. When Naruto arrived for the Kage meeting she had every confidence that Kumo would literally be pummelled into the ground until she was set free.

And he would have to dig if he wanted to find her. They had just set her down in this dank hell hole, punishment for trashing their waiting room if she had to guess. There was no light to be seen really, only the dim glow from a torch a ways off. Water dripped down from the ceiling above, at least she hoped it was water but she had no intention of getting close enough to the puddle to find out.

Sakura let out a muffled sigh. If only she could get these confounded shackles loose. Then she could save herself and possibly the hidden village as well. She bucked against the restraints that held her arms behind her back. It would hurt like hell but she supposed she could dislocate her shoulders and get her arms around to the front. Then she would have to face the task of getting out of the metal binding. Her arms being bound she could escape with. Without her legs she was doomed. She was about to set her new plan into action, sitting up so the light shone down on her, when a noise near by caught her attention.

They had only just put her in here, she thought it unlikely that anyone would be coming to fetch her so soon. In the dim light it was hard to see but there were no footsteps, just the sound of something slithering on the ground. She inhaled sharply. A snake was the last thing she needed right now. She knew how to counteract venom but she needed to see what kind of snake it was first. Tan and thin she could not think of any serpents in the region that resembled that description. It was coming right to her and she braced for a strike but it stopped abruptly slithering off into the shadows when the sound of footsteps echoed in the hall.

A crop of blonde hair and a set of lazy eyes approached the bars of her cell. "Sorry about this," Darui drawled. Sakura growled. He had better be damned sorry. She thought they were friends. They had all fought along side each other during the war. They had saved each others asses more than once. Friendship, it seemed, meant less to him than his beloved A, not that she had expected it to be any different. "But we need you to solve a problem for us. You don't need to do anything, we just need you here."

She narrowed her eyes. There was another element to this she was not privy to and she would bet just about anything it had to do with Sasuke. The dim light was almost blocked out as Darui towered above her and she noticed that she appeared to be the only on this particular level of the dungeon. They did not want anyone to know she was there. She wanted to snort. Tough shit. She had made such a ruckus being brought in she would not be surprised if the whole world found out about this by nights end.

Darui let out a sigh raking his fingers though his hair, turning his gaze away from her. "I really am sorry." He sounded pained, as if a conflict was battling within him. So it should be, she wanted to shout, but could not. "I will be back soon with some food for you. And a light," he said, looking around at the abysmal conditions before marching off, his steps heavy with what she hoped was guilt.

As soon as Darui was gone the sound of slithering against the rock surface brought her attention back to the ground. The snake. She had not forgotten about it but she had sort of hoped it had slunk off to a hole in the wall. It had not. Sometimes the powers that be had a sick sense of humor. Was it not bad enough that she had been taken captive, might be about to start war inadvertently, and was currently unable to do much about any of it? They had to throw a snake, possibly a venomous one, into the mix.

She backed up against the bars but there was only so far she could go. It slithered into the light and she held her breath. The creature was beautiful but unlike anything she had ever seen. Tan scales glimmered in the firelight, and... was that blue between each scale? The creature reared up looking around and she held her breath. This was going to be uncomfortable and she did not know what sort of venom it had, if any. She would have to counteract it as it showed her what sort of damage it was capable of.

She was growling for the millionth time that day, praying that the serpent would just disappear. With her luck this might all be some ploy of Orochimaru's. Or Sasuke's. It was a snake after all. She might wake up in the morning and find that she had a curse mark, or some weird new powers, or that she had another person dwelling in her body. That is if she woke up at all. Her breath stilled as dark eyes narrowed in on her and she was waiting for the impact of fangs on her skin.

Impact never came. The creature bagan to crumble right before her eyes. She started to laugh and then stopped, not wanting to draw attention to the development.

Sand. The snake had been made of sand. She was not sure whether to slap the handsome Kazekage for scaring the shit out of her or kiss him senseless for obvious reasons. Maybe both. Tendrils of sand trailed along her skin to where the shackles were and instantly she felt the grains start to rub against the mechanism that held her in place. It would take a little longer than was ideal, but if he was doing this then she was sure he had a plan.

She rested her head against the bars and closed her eyes. She was not alone anymore. She had an ally that she trusted implicitly, who was clearly intent on keeping her safe and getting her back home.

* * *

End Comments: This is not a one shot; I know! I see a couple of chapters after this, maybe more. In any case I hope you enjoyed it. Next chapter we have some direct Gaara and Sakura action, plus Naruto shows up. And yes i realise that Kumo warring against the other villages might seem a little farfetched in canon, but this is not canon and all will be explained in due course. as always I have no beta reader so please forgive any mistakes. I fix them as I spot them. Review are always welcome but no flaming please. Until next time!


	2. Chapter 2

Authors note: Hello my lovely readers! I am really enjoying this story. This particular chapter does not have as much action (wait until next chapter for that, I have already started it) but it was necessary to move the plot along. Kakashi has his sharingan as I can't really bring myself to take it away from him. I am also shortening his time as hokage. He only serves for a coupe of years before passing the mantle onto Naruto. Anyway I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters.

* * *

Darui shuffled out of the prison, feeling worse with each step he took. The walls were stark, the lighting was abysmal, it smelled like piss, and it managed to be cold even on the warmest nights. He really did not like leaving her there. Such a place did not suit most people, but there were a few that one could see clearly in such a situation. She was not one of them. In fact she was the exact opposite. He could not say that Haruno Sakura was a close friend but he had thought of her as a friend, most certainly an ally. They would have all been dead by now if it had not been for her. Her medical nin jutsu had saved their asses in the war, and allowed them to keep fighting.

This was how Kumokagure had repaid her.

He felt shitty and he hated feeling shitty. He let out a long sigh and turned away. He wanted to do something to help but there was not much to be done. He was between a rock and a hard place, much like A was.

As if thinking his name made the man appear, the muscle bound Kage limped over. Sakura had done more damage then Darui had given her credit for. The shattered ribs had been followed by severe bruising as Sakura had lashed out at any and every opportunity she had seen. The Kumo medics would struggle with healing their great leader, something she could do in moments.

Darui bit the inside of his cheek. This whole thing was idiotic. He dared not say that out loud, but it was. If they had just gone to Konoha for aid to begin with perhaps this whole debacle could have been avoided. But no. They had taken one of the most precious nins in Konoha's arsenal hostage. The leaf village would not stand for that. It did not help that this particular kunoichi was the current Kage's best friend and the apprentice and student of the previous Kages. There was no way Konoha was going to leave this unchallenged.

Someone would be arriving to retrieve her soon. A was counting on it. They could not leave Konoha leaderless and so he had a fairly good idea as to whom would be arriving. Soon enough two out of the three most recent Kages would be beating down their door, that much he knew for sure. He hoped Kakashi would be one of them. The question was which of the other two would it be? Konoha had only said a hokage would be making the journey. They did not specify which one, nor did they have to. Having three still alive and kicking was a luxury only Konoha had experienced, and they were taking full advantage of it. Tsunade they could handle. Naruto they could not.

Darui had a feeling it was going to be Naruto. He had probably already been on his way to the summit after all. To piss him off was troublesome and he was fairly sure they had already done more than that. As it stood Darui half expected to see the Kyuubi show up at the gates any second, throwing tailed beast energy around like it was going out of style.

That was not something he wanted to deal with. And if the blonde showed up early there would be no Uchiha Sasuke to help subdue the threat. Darui had absolutely no doubt that if the avenger had not been there to help corral Sakura A would have been much worse for wear, as would the rest of the nins that had been with the retrieval team.

"Darui," his leader called and as always Darui marched over ready to take his orders. "how is she?" he asked more for Darui's sake than anything else. A could tell his right hand man was torn but he had to admit that he was a little surprised by that fact. Darui had always gone above and beyond to see the will of his Kage fulfilled but this time he sensed hesitation and that concerned him a great deal.

"Livid," The black lighting user said thinking back on the emerald eyes that glow with a ferocity that, had it been able to manifest itself, would have burned Kumo to the ground. As it stood he felt guilty as all hell having left her in a prison cell.

"Well, no surprise there," A conceded. "Do what you can for her."

Darui kicked a rock off the road thinking over the order. Letting her go was off the table but they had sort of thrown her in the underbelly of Kumo. She was no criminal and certainly not a prisoner of war, at least not yet. The prison did not seem the right place to keep her, even if only for a short time. "Can't we move her? The prison is no place-" His drawl was cut off sharply.

A's eyes narrowed in agitation, but Darui could not tell if it was directed at him or the impending threats that they were all sure would be bearing down on Kumo sooner rather than later. "No. We can't risk the brat showing up early and breaking her out before we finalise the deal."

Darui knew the plan but the idea of what they were doing made his skin crawl. "She deserves more than that. Better than that."

"What do you care?" A asked skeptically and also a bit curious. He was no fool. He could see that many of the nins and even civilians were watching him apprehensively and some with doubt.

"She saved us." The young man stated simply. That was all there was to it really. In his mind, and the minds of many others, they owed her a debt of gratitude. They had made it home to their families because she had been by their side healing them and protecting them on the battlefield.

"And she will save us again." A's word were callus, and Darui shifted his gaze from the man he respected more than any other. A felt the twinge of anger spread through his veins. First B had backed away and now Darui as well. They just did not understand what it was to be Kage. Sacrifices had to be made and thankfully this time it was someone from another village. "This is what he wants done and this is what we will do. And it is a bonus for us. Konoha will be much less of a threat with both Sannins neutralised."

The younger man turned and began to walk away. "And who will keep the third in check?" he asked ominously, leaving that thought to hang between the two of them.

* * *

Gaara watched on silently from the hotel room they had placed him in. It was nice enough but not really befitting a visit from a Kage. Ultimately it did not matter to him but he could hear his attendants, namely Baki, gripping about it in the room beyond. Their petty bitching was most annoying. It would have been irritating any day but today was worse. They were making it hard to concentrate. He could not tell them that so he stuck to glowering at them whenever one dared to enter the room. He could not have them knowing why he had insisted on meditating in his room alone... well, as alone as the Kumo nins would allow.

In spite of their efforts to keep close tabs on the Kazekage he had managed to loose them twice on the way to his accommodations and they had yet to notice that he was only looking at them out of one eye. So much for Kumo's best and brightest.

To be honest he was fine with them being so liberal with his guard. It allowed him more freedom. He had learned a great deal due to their incompetence. He had been scouting the city, which had not been nearly as hard as he thought it would be. Between his moments of escape and his sand eye he had noticed that Kumo's hi-ate was not the only one cluttering the streets. Oto nins were in there as well, all located at strategic points.

That had explained a great deal. A was under siege; a quiet siege but a siege never the less. How Oto had managed to entrap the city so securely he did not know. A was not exactly known for taking such blatant disrespects quietly. And yet here they were.

So he dug further to confirm it. Prices at the market were high and goods were becoming scarce. The city was not yet starved but too much more of the current state of things and it would be. Gaara did not know how long this had been going on, but A had managed the situation well. No one seemed panicked, but then again they had all been at war not too long ago. Such things were not foreign to any of the hidden villages. A siege lead by Oto was pittance compared to a world wide shinobi war.

As it stood Oto was only on decent terms with one other village; Kiri. None of the others could really trust Orochimaru nor could they handle Sasuke. Naruto could have, but the kind-hearted blonde would not dispose of the troublemaker. He wanted to bring Sasuke back to Konoha and that was proving to be difficult. Sasuke did not want to return to the hidden leaf, not without destroying everyone in it.

No matter. Naurto was not going to let that happen and so long as the Hidden Leaf and Sand stood together the other villages were hard pressed to move against them. As for Oto, Konoha remained safe regardless of other alliances. Naruto was the deterrent and Sakura was the tie breaker, and she had chosen her side. He had heard that the original Sannin trio had been nick-named the three way dead lock, but he had not really known what that entailed. Now he did. No matter how much Sasuke wanted to enact his plan of destruction, his old teammates stood in his way. Naruto would fight him off and if by some miracle the last Uchiha managed to get the better of him Sakura was there to ensure victory. With her in the Hidden Leaf Sasuke would not win.

But with her in Oto, or even Kumo, there was an opportunity to take down the jinchuriki. There was a chance for vengeance, a word he had heard the brooding man throw about quite a bit in the past.

As logical as that all sounded something told Gaara that was not all there was to this issue. If that had been all Sasuke or Oto was after then they would have had word of it by now. With Sakura in custody and Naruto alone in Konoha, the two pig headed team-mates could battle to their hearts content and the spys of every village would have had reports in to their leaders when the outcome had been determined. At the end of that Konoha would have either been levelled or the Uchiha would be behind bars. Or Sasuke would have tried to kill Sakura instead of merely handing her over to A. The whole thing seemed counter productive if all the self proclaimed avenger wanted was to decimate Konoha. If he did not know better Gaara would say that Sasuke had taken a great deal of care in removing Sakura from the situation. Gaara was missing something and he wanted to find out what that was.

The itch to act had steadily intensified as he sat in the little room waiting for the right moment. He did not like sitting around while the woman he adored remained manacled in a cold prison cell. It accumulated until his leg threatened to start bouncing in irritation. He was going to make a move. He called his sand eye back, setting his sights on the tower he could see across the city. His target was lit up, but the Kages office was dark. Now was the time.

When his jade irises turned to the man standing watch the nin immediately noticed his gaze. It was hard not to. There was a gravity that came with Gaara's focus that was almost impossible to miss. He had not caught the boys name, nor did he care what it was right now. They had left the young man to sit with Gaara alone in the darkening room. The boy was either very skilled or in some sort of trouble. "Dinner." The word came out harsh, but to be fair it was getting quite late and normally he would have been extremely hungry.

The young man looked confused for a moment and then quickly jumped into action. The instant his back was turned (for whether a foreign Kage or not he was still a Kage and was an honoured guest of Kumos and thus his requests were followed) he turned his sights to the pair of trusted nins he had brought with him. It only took one hand symbol for them to recognise what he needed and they went about their new mission perfectly. Between the two of them they managed to keep all other attendants eyes off of Gaara long enough for him to leave a sand clone in his spot on the bed.

They would take care of the rest. He glanced over his shoulder at his handy work. The detail of his clones had gotten better but if one looked closely they would be able to tell this version of himself was made of sand. He quickly opened the window and closed it behind him. He jumped to a rooftop across the street as Baki came to turn out the lights and shut the blinds. In the dark, no one would be able to tell the difference between flesh and sand.

He turned on his heels heading in the direction of the Kages tower. Street lamps turned on below him as families settled in for the evening. He had gained insight by watching the city now he needed more solid evidence. Most importantly he needed to find out exactly what kind of seal the Raikage had used on Sakura.

* * *

Sakura could not sleep. She knew it was probably the time to do so. There might not be the chance after she busted loose, but the angle that her body was currently bent in was ridiculously uncomfortable. The cell was frigid and damp. She knew what sleep deprivation could do to a person and she had the feeling that this particular brand of torture was encouraged in these halls.

She had managed to inch her way over to a dry spot on a wall where she could rest her back. She was hungry, for while Darui had sent her a solider pill by way of a guard she head refused to take it. She was not going to take food willingly from the enemy, and until they proved otherwise that was what they were.

She could easily have lost track of time in here, she mused. With no light, little sleep, and no regular meals she could see how some went mad. Thankfully she had not been there long nor did she plan to stay for very much longer. She had been keeping track of an approximate time since they threw her behind bars. It was around midnight now.

There was one saving grace in her predicament. A tendril of sand caressed her skin gently under the shackles. She had not thought that sand could be gentle. She thought back to some very uncomfortable days in the desert as she wandering about in her sandals. It had been the bane of her existence during missions to Suna, but right now it was the only comfort she had. More to the point it was soft and gentle against her irritated wrists and ankles. When she had her chakra back she would have to heal them.

Not for the first time she was amazed by the control the Kazekage displayed. Gaara had sent the finest grains in his arsenal to assist her, the tough ones had wormed their way into the gears, and were grinding way at the mechanisms. She could see them at work near her ankles. The tiny particles shimmered and from what she remembered about his more specialised sands, these might be minute fragments of diamonds.

The softer granules were brushing against her skin and she cold feel the presence of his chakra laced into the sand. It was warm and soothing. She wished more of it would arrive and wrap her up like a blanket. Normally her own chakra would have helped to regulate her body temperature, but without access to it she was freezing. When ever a particularly cool gust hit her his sand would swirl around her skin in a pattern that she was sure had nothing to do with keeping her skin from the metal bracers. It almost felt like fingertips brushing along the tender part of her wrists and ankles.

She wondered if his hands would actually feel that way. She thought so. He was warm now, quiet perhaps, but still warm in his countenance and he cared a great deal for those he kept close to his heart. Sabaku no Gaara was sweet. She did not know if many others would see him that way but she did. That was not to say that was all he was. He was fierce and strong and devilishly handsome. His eyes were stunning pools of jade that she could swim in forever. The black that rimmed them, which she was ever more convinced was a tattoo, just made them pop all the more. Her fingers itched at the thought of his unruly red hair. She always got the urge to run her fingers through it.

Alright, so she was attracted to the man. She would be hard pressed to find a woman that was not. With his high cheek bones and strong jaw he was the very definition of good looking. And his voice... he had a deeper voice than most men she knew and the timber had a gravelly quality that made her want to hum in approval. Every time he spoke he sent shivers down her spine. More importantly he was the kind of man that constantly tried to better himself. He was always looking out for others. He was steadfast, honorable, genuine, loyal... He was a good man.

She had no idea what he thought of her. Obviously he knew who she was. They had never really spent time on their own to get to know one another, a point she regretted. More often than not she would find him in the company of Naruto, which was to be expected. Few others in her brothers life could claim to understand Naruto and what he had been through. Gaara was one of the few and so she often left them to themselves, only butting in when she was explicitly invited.

He seemed to like her well enough. He certainly did not object to her presence. He had even been the one to ask her to sit with them a few times. Arguably that spoke volumes but she was not one to read into such actions. Not since...

The thought of Sasuke made her blood start to boil once more. She was no fool. Her old teammate wanted something, otherwise she would have been dead by now. Still after all he and put them though she would have thought the least he could do was leave them alone. She had given up on redeeming him long ago and while she still hoped he might yet find redemption she was not holding her breath. She had wanted him to come back to Konoha. She still did, but he clearly did not. He had made that abundantly clear. He wanted revenge and he willing choose to walk the darkened path.

Konoha was home. If he wanted to destroy it that badly he was going to have to go through her first. She was fairly sure he would too if given the opportunity. The thought saddened her. They had been through a great deal but she was not going to let him drag her down with him. She had a life to lead and he could choose to be a part of it in some capacity, but it meant reforming. That was something she knew he was not ready for and possibly never would be. It had been hard to accept, but she had. She would be there when Naruto was ready to accept it too and so would the rest of her beloved Team 7 in all of its incarnations. Team 7 faced the world together, with or without Sasuke.

She felt the sand squeeze her wrists and instantly began to calm down. She had gotten carried away. Being left with ones self in stressful situations tended to bring that out in people. She was going to hold it together though. She was Haruno Sakura and it would take a hell of a lot more than this to test her.

* * *

Gaara had waited until he was sure that the office was empty before jumping to the window. It had taken a little while, waiting near by, before he was comfortable with sneaking in. The lights were off but every now and again someone entered and put an item or two on the Raikage's desk. He knew for a fact that, like every Kage, A was bogged down in paper work. Gaara himself usually stayed up late into the night reading and signing reports. With the amount of paper work flooding in he was fairly sure that A would have normally been there as well, but was not now. Gaara grinned maliciously. If there was any justice in the world A was tied up at the infirmary tending to his grievous wounds. Never let it be said that Sakura was weak. She was anything but; the wounds on the Raikage were proof enough of that.

The Kage's assistants were clearly working without him which had stalled his advancement. So he waited and eventually they decided to take a break. The work would pile up whether or not they were there and it seemed a late night snack was in order. They left not realising that Gaara was clinging to the side of the building. Silently he slipped into the office, being careful not to disturb anything. He checked for traps and found only a few. He would be able to avoid them. The Raikage's current work load was all stacked on the desk so there would be no need to dig for too much information. Everything of pertinence was waiting for a signature.

One document in particular caught his eye. His breath came though his teeth in a hiss. He held up the document examining it more closely. There on the dotted line was the Uchiha crest along with a scraggly signature and a swipe of blood. A's sign, symbol, and blood seal were just below, along with Orochimaru's. The three of them had come to an agreement.

Damn that Uchiha. Damn him straight to hell. Gaara clenched his fist at his side. He was going to strangle that idiotic jackass the next time he got the opportunity. But before he strangled the life out of the last Uchiha he was going to let Sakura beat the ever living shit out of him. And he was almost positive she would when she found out what she would have to sign over in order to avoid conflict.

She was going to have to give herself over to Orochimaru and Sasuke unconditionally. She would have to be obedient, subservient, and most importantly she would never be a free woman again. There at the top of the page was the damning evidence, the piece he had been missing before and it explained why such care had been taken wither capture.

Sasuke wanted Sakura, not just as a deterrent for Naruto, but for himself. It was stated clearly that Kumo would restrict her chakra and hand her over to Oto, specifically Sasuke, in exchange for a few things. Kumo would no longer be threatened by an Oto invasion or blockade. Oto would no longer be threatened by Konoha, and Naurto would stop trying to bring Sasuke back. Sakura would act as Otokagures lead medic and train students. Sasuke got the best part of the deal; a new Uchiha matriarch.

There was a secondary option for Sakura should she choose it. The other option was death. Death for her and another attack on Konoha. Gaara knew that Sakura had once wished to be with the last Uchiha but under these circumstances she would rail against it; only on the inside. She would do what she had to in order to prevent another war and that was what had him so angry. He already knew what her answer would be when she saw this. She would agree to it to save Konoha. She would convince Naruto to stand down. Bile rose in Gaara's throat. To ask Sakura to give up her accomplishments, her home, was one thing. If she agreed to it that was her choice. After all Gaara only wanted her to be happy. But to brow beat her into it under the guise of peace was not something he would stand by and watch.

The document was clenched in his white knuckled hand. He wanted to burn it but that would only draw suspicion. He set the scroll back down on the desk and looked around for the other item he needed. They were getting out of here and they needed to do it quickly. He had a bad feeling about all of this. Naruto was expected in the morning and he was positive that whatever A and Sasuke had planned would be executed sooner rather than later. The Uchiha was close, not close enough for Naruto to notice when he arrived but close enough to step in when the time was right. He was guessing that was why the Oto nins were stationed around Kumo. They were sending back information.

Gaara shuffled through a few bookshelves. He knew what he was looking for. He had a scroll of a similar nature. The only Kage he knew that did not have a seal unique to them was Naruto. He needed to know A's secret, the small element that made his seal different to others. It took a moment or two but he found it tucked away in the back. It was small, but so much the better. Gaara slipped it into his pouch and disappeared in a flurry of sand.

* * *

The sand had been working on the locks all night but she could finally feel them starting to give way. She could wiggle her arms and that was enough to give her leverage. She braced herself, using her body weight as an advantage and pushed her arms apart. The sand was helping to keep her skin from pinching agasint the metal. The whole process would have hurt a great deal more without it there as a cushion.

She felt the grimace spread across her face as a swirl of wind picked up the dust in the cell. The metal casing began to shake as the strain she placed on her self increased. She leaned forward to get a better angle and kept pushing. It was going to happen any second now. She felt the clips snap under the pressure and she collapsed taking in a deep breath. As she slipped the restraints off her wrists she felt a tug on the knot that held her gag in place. Her eyes snapped up to find Gaara kneeling before her. He was frowning but she got the impression he was not mad at her.

When she felt the cloth loosen she unclenched her jaw and was surprised at the vehemence with which he tossed the offending garment aside. Her hands were already on the bracers that encased her ankles. She began to tug and felt the sand pushing as she did. Another set of fingers slipped under the metal along side her own and together they pulled the manacles off with relative ease. She felt her muscles protest when she moved from the position she had been in all night but ignored it.

He dropped the metal piece that had come of into his hand on the stone floor, glaring at it in disgust. How dare they? He had seen the way she had been bound when he was in the Kages office the day before but he had not expected them to leave her in such a position. Perhaps they had thought it unwise to loosen the ties on her. Regardless it made his blood boil to see her that way.

He was about to ask if she was alright but never go the chance. Quicker than he could have imagined she launched forward gripping him in the tightest hug he had ever encountered. He froze. They had never been this close before. Her hands shook with exertion, but she was not crying. He could feel the ghost of her lips on the skin of his neck as she turned her head slightly. Slowly his arms encircled her and he let out a shuddering breath he had not noticed he was holding.

He had known she was fine and not physically hurt in any serious way, but it was a relief to see that with his own two eyes. She was safe and in his arms. A part of him wished they could stay like that but he knew they had to move. It was late, or early, depending on how you looked at time and the envoys would start arriving soon. He wanted her well out of reach by the time Oto arrived and they needed a quiet place where he could remove those blasted seals.

"Thank you," she whispered near his ear and he looked down to see her face. She was as relieved as he was and he felt his chest fill with pride. The small smile that pulled at her pretty lips was beautiful and he wanted to keep it there. He pushed a cherry lock away from her eyes and grunted, not really sure how to respond. She did not seem to mind. She squeezed him tighter before releasing him but she did not step away.

Sakura was staring at him. She knew she was but she could not seem to help it. A little voice in the back of her mind echoed her previous thoughts back at her. She really wanted to kiss him right now. And she would have except now was not the time or the place. He had been kind enough to help her out of a sticky situation and she was not going to jeopardise that by dallying about in enemy territory. She knew he was risking a great deal to help her. Suna's peace with Kumo was the first thing that came to mind, but by placing himself in this cell he was officially interfering in another villages affairs. If they caught him in here they might try to lock him up too.

His sand moved fluidly towards the bars, slipping past to start picking the lock. It took a couple of seconds but far less time than she would have guessed. The Kumo builders had clearly not expected anyone to put up much of a fight without their chakra.

He looked to her in question, "Can you walk?" he asked quietly, helping her to stand. His fingertips brushed her knuckles and she was reminded of the sand that had kept her company. His hand was warm and the callouses from his training did feel similar to the grains of sand. Her stomach flipped at the action he had yet to cease and she had to put forth effort to compose herself. She nodded and tested her legs, happy to find that they were operational.

She went to open her mouth, about to tell him to leave before anyone saw him. She did not want him or Suna to suffer on her account. She heard the jingle of the keys in the hall and pushed him back into the shadows.

Darui entered the hall, removing his hands from his pockets and taking the key off his belt. He came to a halt as his languid gaze reached her from in the dim light of the torch. He did not know how she had escaped and he was loath to put her back in the chains. If he was honest with himself he really wanted to help her out.

"Sakura-san..." Darui said, stepped forward with his hand stretched out to still her movements. She settled into a her stance ready to fight. Darui moved to sigh but then halted as he felt something wrap around his neck. "Kazekage-sama..." he said with wide eyes as Gaara stepped into the light. Sakura rushed forward with her fingers held aloft.

The crack of lighting sounded in the rock chamber and Sakura dodged a small spark that threatened to shock her. All that training against Kakashi's lightning attacks had paid off. She dodged a few more and slipped around the back of his legs. The sand held him in place as she jabbed her fingertips with precision into his most effective pressure points.

Darui's eyes shut as he slid to the ground. Gaara moved to stand next to her, releasing the unconscious nin from his sand's grip with a tilt of his head in her direction.

She smiled at him. "I'm friends with a few Hyuugas," she said shrugging smugly. He did recall her being close to a few of the byakugan wielders during the war and he knew that Naruto was in a romantic relationship with one.

She had been fully prepared to fight the man on her own, something he was painfully aware of. Without chakra that was a battle heavily weighted in Daruis favor, even with the nin not able to use serious jutsu on her. Sakura had seemed surprised when he stepped out of the shadows. Perhaps she had thought he would leave her to fend off Darui alone. The thought made him frown again. Perhaps some may have done that, or leave her to escape without chakra but he was going to see her safely back home. That had been his plan from the beginning.

She pulled the unconscious elite nin into the cell and shut the bars. With a cheeky toss she disposed of the keys. Someone would find him after they left. Silently they began to make their way out of the complex, sneaking up behind the guards and knocking them out as they went. He marvelled at the way she worked even with out her usual arsenal of chakra. She was a medic nin, he reminded himself, and an experienced kunoichi. Still she was expertly dispatching nins and as they exited the compound he thought that the whole situation had gone much more smoothly than he had anticipated.

Quickly, they made their way towards the main gate. He did not intend to use it, but he was only familiar with one path in and out of Kumo. Should they get lost the enemy would have the upper hand. Kumo nins knew the terrain much better than he did and so the swiftest way out of Kumo was their safest route. They could remove the seals when they were in the clear.

The main streets were oddly well lit in the night and thus they stuck to alley ways. Once the gate was in sight he pointed to a spot on the wall that would be their best bet for an unobserved exit. Her brow scrunched in thought. Normally she would have agreed with him. That was the best vantage point for getting through without being noticed. The guards were placed in such a way that if one were to leap over quickly they might not be noticed. Admittedly using his sand to fly over might have been better but they would definitely be seen. As it stood it was going to take her more than a couple of seconds to climb the wall.

He noticed her apprehension and realised why. He had a solution. With a hand at her back he swept her up. He looked down at the petite kunoichi. She blinked up at him, having been taken off guard, but there was a small blush there as well. Her arms came up to steady herself each wrapping around his neck. When they took off she held as still as she could and noticed that he smelled like sandalwood. She leaned in a little bit enjoying the warmth he produced. In a matter of seconds they were over the wall and so far as she could tell no one was the wiser.

The sun was rising when he set her down a short ways away, reluctant to let her go. She fit in his embrace and he found that he liked having her so close. There would be time enough for that when they got her someplace safe. He got the sneaking suspicion that any moment someone would find out that they were gone and he was determined to get as far as they could before that happened. Her feet hit the ground and they both began to run.

* * *

"Darui-san!" The lazy man woke with a start as a bucket of cold water was splashed into his face. Two chuunins were looking down at him in a suspiciously anxious manner. He took in his surroundings. He was in a cell. An open one, but he doubted they had found him that way. The girl to his right shifted nervously and he groaned. They must have had news for him and having not been able to find him in the Kage tower or his home they had gone looking for him.

He held his hand out to take her burden. With a bow both quickly disappeared. He could hear the commotion around him. Up ahead he could see a few knocked out nins slumped along the wall. She had gotten out of the complex. He was not surprised by that at all. He opened the scroll and felt his face drop.

"Damn."

* * *

A was not in a good mood. After spending all night in the infirmary his bones still ached. Worse than that he found that after spending the evening away, his desk was stacked with papers to sign. Perhaps most troubling of all was that as of yet there was no sign of Uchiha Sasuke. The brat had sworn he would be there to help keep Naruto at bay, assuming it was Naruto that arrived. He was desperately hoping it was one of the others.

That was not to say that it was not still quite early. It was. Dawn had peaked over the edge of the wall not long before. He was on edge. Anxiety was one of his least favorite sensations. A just wanted the day and all that it entailed to be over with, which meant starting the proceedings as soon as possible.

And where the hell was Darui! He needed his right hand man here for this. He heard a scrambling sound outside, nins jumping all over the pace and what vaguely resembled kunai clattering somewhere outside his window.

"Raikage-sama!" Two of his elites burst into the room panting heavily with their eyes darting about frantically. Behind them he could see a yellow crop of hair approaching in the hall. Finally, he might get some answers. He heard the shatter of glass and turned his head to see a chakra laden fist in his line of sight.

He cringed, awaiting the impact. The desk shattered into a million pieces as he felt the gravity of chakra come down before him, barely missing his legs. Splinters scattered between his toes and A felt the air pressure increase in the room.

Blonde entered his field of vision and A breathed in deeply. Honey colored eyes narrowed as the medics knuckles cracked menacingly. "We are only going to ask you once..." the Godaime Hokage said, stepping aside to let the current Hokage pass by in a flash.

A glowing orange hand reached out to dig into the wall next to his jugular. "Where the fuck is Sakura-chan?"

* * *

End Comments: I probably could have split this chapter in two but I felt that it was moving a little slowly at the start. It's s little boring maybe but I'll make up for that next time, I promise. The next chapter has already been started and I can promise lots of GaaraXSakura and a few fights too. As always I have no beta reader so please forgive any mistakes. I do my best to correct them when I see them. Reviews are always welcome but please no flames. I make no promises as to when the next chapter will be out but I have started it and I seem to be on a roll right now. I am determined to finish this fic soon.


	3. Chapter 3

Authors note: I know I promised action in this chapter and there is some but it was getting way too long. So I'm splitting up the chapter. but don't worry, out Gaara Sakura interaction is heating up. I hope this chapter does not seem too rushed. And to my reviewers; THANK YOU! Thank you, thank you, thank you! You have no idea how much joy I get from reading your responses to my humble attempts. And yes I do read every review that gets sent to me, I just get distracted easily. In any case I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters.

* * *

Tension in the room was high. Darui watched as the man he respected more than anyone else stood sweating before the power of the Nanadaime Hokage. Naruto's body serged with the power of the Kyuubi. His teeth were bared at the Raikage who watched him with apprehension. With every second that passed the power of his glowing fist cracked the wall behind A a little bit more and Darui felt the need to step in before one of the two blonde Hokages that had infiltrated the tower turned the place into rubble with a well placed punch.

"See, thing is..." he said gaining their attention. He quickly wished he had kept his mouth shut. Both heads turned to him and for an instant he was their sole focus. Then they noticed what he held in his hands.

There was dead silence and Darui watched as both hokages took in the sight before them. As a growl escaped behind pearly whites that betrayed his more base natures, Naruto's elongated pupils narrowed in on the incriminating items Darui held aloft. The tall easy going man gulped. A liked to have proof when presented with an unlikely outcome. Sakura escaping from their prison without her chakra to help her would seem unlikely to most. Darui knew better. Even if he had explained that the Kazekage had assisted her, his leader would have been skeptical. Thus he had taken the shakels along to prove his point. He should have dropped them in the hall, but he had not been expecting these two particular guests to show up at the exact moment he entered.

But it seemed that his urgent news had, quite literally, gotten to his boss's desk before he had. Which was a shame really because it had been such a nice desk.

Tsunade's clenched fist was still at her side and Naruto's barred fangs glinted in the early morning light. The Nanadamie Hokage was far too close to A's neck for comfort. Blue eyes had been replaced by red and they glared with a fury that was hard to turn away from, so Dauri watched on in morbid fascination. The Hokage went to open his mouth only to close it again, swiftly turning his head towards an empty spot on the floor.

A flash moved past their collective vision. Sasuke materialised before them, looking a little wind blown and not quite as put together as he usually did. They all stared for an instant before the handsome man turned to face the cornered leader.

The muscles in his jaw pulsed uncomfortably as he looked around and Darui realised that the whole left side of his face was slightly swollen. He quickly put together what had occurred. To have seen the look on his face when Sakura suker-punched him would have been priceless. "Where is she?" The question had not been loud but it boomed in their ears regardless. The two ex-teammates stared each other down and slowly Naruto's hand left the wall it had been imbedded in.

Darui had to hand it to the young Kage. He had matured. In years past the mere sight of the rouge nin would have sent Naruto into a desperate chase. Had Sakura's well being not be foremost in his mind he might still have, but Sasuke's presence was not the most important thing right now.

A had not yet lost all of his grandeur and seemed intent on proving that with a facade of confidence and agitation. His tounge clicked behind his teeth as he gestured to the mangled bracers in Darui's hand. "Escaped, clearly."

A young chunin that Darui vaguely recalled having paced on Gaara's escort team paused at the door. After a few quick pants he blurted out, "Raikage-sama, the Kazekage is gone." The boy's expression led them to believe it had just been discovered, but he knew that Gaara had been well ahead of the team he had set to watch him. He was going to have to address that when this was all over. It was absolutely unacceptable that two incredibly identifiable nins had slipped through all of their defences and posted guards without so much as a whisper. Well, he supposed his black lightning had been more than a whisper... he needed to train more.

"I gathered that," The leader of Kumo snarled at the young man, sending him scurrying.

Sasuke glared. This had not been the plan. He had been scheduled to arrive before Naruto, speak to Sakura, and tell her everything. He did not think it would take much to convince her to join him. She would understand. She always had. But this- this was not what he had in mind. There was no Sakura. Instead her busty mentor was there with Naruto, who was ready to pounce. He did not even want to know what Gaara had been doing in Kumo so early. Clearly A's incompetence was to blame. It would cost Kumogakure dearly. With his mind made up, Sasuke turned towards the open window.

"The deal is off." There was a finality to his tone that was not to be questioned. He was irritated but thankfully all was not lost. No matter what had gone wrong there was still a chance to salvage his plan. Sakura would be travelling fast and he thought it unlikely that Gaara would stop within enemy territory to release her chakra when it was not necessary. The red haired nuisance would wait until they were within the relative safety of Fire Nation borders.

Naruto took a step to the side, turning to face his old friend. "What deal?" he asked quietly shifting his gaze from A to Sasuke in rapid succession before letting it fall on a scroll that, curtsy of Tsunade, found it's way into his line of sight. She had not needed to read too much of it. She had gotten the gist from the first few lines and knew he would want to see the contents as well. With a firm scowl that was incredibly uncharacteristic he called to the nin who was poised to leave any second. "Teme." The fox's warning was ignored. As quickly as he had arrived the missing nin disappeared once more.

A had hoped that with the swift departure, Naruto would follow the rouge nin as he always did. Much to his chagrin Naruto did not leave. Instead the Kyuubi container began to read, brows furrowing at each section he found to be obtuse and highly unreasonable.

"We want to talk this out," A suggested noting the way the Nanadaime's brows were becoming knitted with displeasure.

Whiskers crinkled in a snort. "I bet you do." Naruto's dry tone held no mirth but it seemed that his companion had a darker sense of humor than he did.

Her smirk was full of teeth as she pulled back to grace them with a stance of pure confidence. Tsunade gestured to the room around them. "What is it you intend to bargain with?" she asked with her hands on her hips and her chest held high. "Gaara sort of screwed you over."

"Royally," Dauri admitted it freely and though A was loath to say so, he really could not argue the point. Ultimately this all came down to the fact that Sakura had been assisted in her escape by the Kazekage. Had it not been for Gaara's interference Sakura's escape would have been much louder at the very least. Had they heard her departure they might have been able to stop it.

Naruto chuckled in a significantly darker tone than they were used to. He turned his back to them showing the title that trailed down the spine of his cloak. "Baa-chan, I'm gonna follow Teme. You wanna handle things here?" he asked putting his foot on the window sill.

"It will be my pleasure." The older woman cracked her knuckles before gingerly taking a seat in the office chairs that had escaped her assault. Naruto nodded before leaving in the same direction that Sasuke had. Tsunade crossed her legs and leaned back. In one hand she held the condemning evidence that A had willingly signed. With the other she signalled for them to join her. "Have a seat bakas. We have much to discuss."

* * *

Gaara looked down at the hand that had found its way to his arm. He was pleased with his decision; as soon as he thought they were out of the guards sights he had lifted them up on his sand. The faster they could get to the Land of Fire the better. He would feel much more secure within ally territory. Despite having put considerable distance between them and Kumo already he still felt unsettled and he could not decided if that was because there was an enemy drawing near or due to the proximity of the pretty medic nin.

With out chakra to steady herself Sakura had struggled on the unsteady surface. His sand moved like water and while he was accustomed to it, the movement had taken her by surprise. When she reached out to hold his forearm she had done so with a tinge of embarrassment staining her cheeks. She knew he did not like to be touched and thus felt a little sheepish at having grabbed him unexpectedly. As the sands continued to shift she had not been able to let go, but thankfully he did not seem to mind.

Gaara watched her from the corner of his eye. Her blush was adorable. His sand was more turbulent than usual and he chose to believe that was due to the speed at which they were moving and not the fact that he wanted her to keep holding onto him like that. He was not really sure what to do in such a situation but he knew he did not want to her shy away. The tips of his ears were pink as he turned his hand over to present an open palm to her. He saw her fingers twitch and then she relaxed, resting her hand in his.

She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The sun was rising steadily but he could not say it was warm. They would be nearing the Land of Hidden Frost soon. Thankful for the warmth, she did not move and he enjoyed the way her hair occasionally whipped about sending soft pink strands to caress his skin.

It was a time before Gaara thought about setting down. They had been travelling for hours and he could tell the lack of food and sleep was beginning to wear on her. She needed her chakra back and she needed a few moments rest. Admittedly he did as well.

They would not get to Konoha that day and there would be no better time to get those seals off. The air had steadily gotten colder and he knew they had crossed into the Land of Frost when and icy blast of wind shook his sand cloud. He felt Sakura shiver in the cold and cursed his lack of preparation. He had been so concerned with getting her free he had forgotten to prepare for the journey. All she had were the clothes on her back. Kumo had taken all of her personal affects when she was taken hostage and that included the cloak he assumed she had been wearing. It was too chilly to be traveling in this part of the world without one and the same was said for the water villages. Fall was firmly upon them and for a moment he wished they were going to Suna. He preferred to be warm at all times. He looked into the sky and decided to stop grumbling.

It could have been worse. It could have been snowing.

Gaara took in the sight of the grey clouds that were gathering and frowned. He should not have thought that. A few tell tale specs of white drifted down as the sky darkened. He had hoped to get out of the frozen landscape before a storm blew through, but it seemed luck was not on his side. Better that they stop now and prepare before things got worse.

"Sakura," his voice seemed to echo in the terrain. She was not sure he meant it to, but his deep gravely bass always captured her attention, even when he was not explicitly addressing her. This time he was, and she loved the way her name rolled off his tongue. It was getting colder, a fact that had not escaped her notice. She was freezing and while she knew that flying was their best bet for a speedy exit the temperature was starting to effect her. Her joints ached and she had a hard time feeling her toes. She had done her best not to impede their departure more than she had to, but it seemed that he had noticed her discomfort inspite of her efforts. But when she turned her head he was not looking at her, but rather at the sky.

A storm. She recognised the signs. It had been a long time since she had been in a blizzard, but they were in the Land of Hidden Frost. It was just a shame she did not have the right clothes for the occasion. On previous excursions she had enjoyed the winter wonderland, but in those instances she had been properly dressed.

He brought the sand cloud down to a small clearing. As soon as their feet touched the ground he went about gathering wood and she followed suit. They would need a fire if they were going to make it though a storm without freezing. She looked around the space he had chosen. It would do them very little good to have a fire with no shelter but he knew that too. She was sure he had something up his sleeve.

It only took a few moments for the snow to start falling at an alarming pace. The wind was picking up as well and she was glad he brought them down when he had. Flying though this would have been questionable at best. Gaara set up the wood and brought a couple of flints out from his pouch. In an instant they were shielded by his sand, which had come up around them in a dome with the tiniest hole at the top.

She heard the sound of rocks clapping together and then a small flash of fire brought a warm glow to the makeshift cave. The fire would be wonderful once it truly got going but she was still cold. She rubbed her arms to get her blood circulating. A pale hand extended to her. "We should rest while we can." He had taken a seat not too far from the fire, his knees bent and his feet planted on the ground. One arm rested on a knee while the other was waiting for her.

"Yeah," Sakura said as she took the seat he offered between his knees. With her back to his chest she rested against him and found that sleep was easy enough to fall into. As her eyes closed she snuggled into his warmth and missed the small smile that lit up his features. For the first time he could recall there was a part of him that was thankful for the cold.

He could hardly believe this was happening. Most women found him appealing but difficult to approach, according to his sister, and yet Sakura seemed perfectly content curled up in his embrace. She fit as if she belonged there. Gaara brought his chin down to rest on her head. Yes, she did belong there with him and this time he was not going to let the opportunity pass him by. He was going to enjoy it for as long as it lasted.

* * *

"Sasuke!"

The avenger clicked his teeth together. He had yet to understand how or why Naruto always seemed to end up chasing after him. It did not matter how far he ran, nor how fast. Eventually he would find the loud blonde tailing him. It was rather infuriating.

Why was it always the two of them? Was it so much to ask that he have a moment to speak to Sakura alone without the Dobe to interfere? He had not seen her since-

He stopped himself from grimacing as they raced through the Land of Lightning, Sasuke keeping a fair distance between them. The last time he and Sakura had been alone he had tried to hurt her. He had been pissed off, with the world and with Karin, and he had taken it out on her. He should not have. Worse, he may have gone overboard. He had not truly been trying to killer her. Even if he had been, he was not going to admit that now. He had been a foolish boy back then.

Foolish indeed. Itachi had always said he was foolish. His brother had lied about many things but it seemed that was not one of them. His rash behaviour and impetuousness nature had almost cost him his future. Had he killed her that day, or rather had Kakashi not stepped in, he would have never seen what she would become. She may not have been able to back then, but now she stood side by side with Naruto, between his vengeful spirit and Konoha. She was a key factor in why an attack on the hidden village would never really succeed.

She was now worthy of his family name. She was worthy of him. She was possibly the only woman that was in his eyes. It had taken some time to admit that but he was willing to now. Sakura was a hard act to follow. She had pledged herself to him all those years ago and he had no intention of letting her go.

Fate had a strange sense of humor. The tables had turned. He had not wanted her when she was willing to do anything for him but now that she was no longer happy to follow blindly, or quietly, he wanted her. He felt his recently healed jaw that was still delicate to the touch.

No. After her display in the forest he needed her. No other would do.

"Sasuke!"

Black brows furrowed and the edges of his eyes creased. He picked up his speed. He needed her to be the next Uchiha matriarch. He would do whatever it took to make that happen. The first step to that was loosing Naruto and catching up to that desert demon that had dared to insert himself into Sasuke's plan.

* * *

A smirk grew on Tsunade's pretty features. She regarded A from her seat across the rubble that had been his desk. Sakura really had done a number on him. He was still clearly in pain after having been healed. Inwardly Tsunade beamed with pride. Taking Sakura on as her apprentice had been one of the best decisions of her life.

The Godaime Hokage felt comfortable in this setting. She had not been scheduled to be there, but Katsuyu had found her in that casino she had immediately rendezvoused with Naruto and they had formulated a plan as they pushed towards Kumo. She was just thankful that she had decided to go to the Land of Hot Water instead of the Land of Earth.

She felt the presence of her escort flexing their collective chakra behind her. The ANBU escort had arrived just after Naruto left and she now had a team of elites at her back to address the pair before her. Their snarling wolf masks reflected her own emotions well and she was reminded of her own time as Hokage.

She raked her eyes over the contract that held A's scraggly signature along with the Uchiha's and her old teammates. Down at the bottom were a couple of empty lines waiting for further approval. Her red nails pressed into the parchment as she turned the scroll for the Raikage to see.

"Did you really think that Naruto would agree to this? That Kakashi would not fight this? That I would not move heaven and earth to keep this from happening? That one of us would not rip your heart out if you somehow managed to pull this off?" Her bright honey eyes were fierce with conviction.

"I-" The large male was cut off by a sharp gust of air that blew past his ear.

Wide eyed, both males took account of the finger that the world renowned medic held aloft. "You do not get to speak yet. I have not finished," she said relaxing her fingers once more and they were both reminded of the legend that developed Sakura into the woman she was. She was intimidating. She was hiding her own anger behind sass and a playful tone, a tactic that her served her well for many years, but it was a deception. One wrong move and they would both need her healing expertise. Her jovial expression was betrayed by a dark aura that was growing with each defiance attempted by the Raikage. "You're lucky Kakashi is not here. She is his favorite you know. He is not as kind as we are. He might yet cut your head off while you sleep."

Both men glanced at each other skeptically. Kakashi was easily the most docile of the Kages and as a result the most manageable. At least, that was the impression that A had always gotten from him. He found Naruto the most difficult to deal with in terms of raw power, and Tsunade's vile temper made her a handful, but Kakashi had always seemed to be the voice of reason in their rag tag group. He had a reputation, of course- which Kage did not- but he seemed to be the sort that used violence as a last resort, the kind of man that could be reasoned with and was willing to make deals. "You don't know that."

"Oh, I do. You see, he sent us a message." The small piece of paper looked like it had been attached to a hawk, but knowing the Rokudaime Hokage one of his ninken had delivered the message. The scrawl of kanji was defiantly Kakashi's. Darui recognised it from a number of illegible treaties and notices he had the privilege of overseeing in the last few years. The black lighting user paled at the few words he could make out. "He is very upset," Tsunade explained with a sadistic grin. No shit, Dauri wanted to say but thought it best to keep his mouth shut.

He recalled how the pink haired woman had been by her sensei's side through the war. The copy nin had never once let her out of his sights. He protected her, happy to set his life on the line for his 'Sakura-chan' when the choice had to be made. They had always watched each others backs and Darui heard the truth in Tsunade's statements. The Rokudaime would not be forgetting this any time soon. Neither would the other two Hokages. She was speaking about Kakashi, but he got the feeling that all of the Hokages were currently itching to get their hands on either A or Sasuke. Conveiently, Tsunade was within arms reach of the muscle bound man and Darui could tell it was taking considerable control for her not to beat him to a pulp.

"As am I," she said as she crossed her arms under her ample bust. "The only reason I have not broken every bone in your body is because Naruto thinks we can settle this without violence. He is the Hokage."

"You-" Once again A was cut off, not by a gust of air, but instead the stomp of a healed sandal that threatened to send them all falling through to the floor below.

Slowly she sat up away from the back of her chair. "You will listen very carefully. I am pissed off and I do not like to repeat myself. This transgression will not go unpunished."

"Godaime Hokage-sama, please," Dauri said with a bow that stemmed from his waist. If it had not been for the debris blocking his path he would have kneeled but he could not.

She turned her head to find the Kage's right hand man bowing before her. She knew what it was to be both Kage and subordinate. She knew that Darui, while not innocent in what had happened as he had helped to execute it, could not be held responsible. To disobey a direct order from ones Kage was tantamount to treason. Her stern countenance lost some of it's potency. She knew that a nin had no choice but to follow their leader or be branded a traitor. "Don't worry. Kumo will receive aid in removing Oto from it's borders. We will uphold our promise to the people of Kumo. It is not their fault that their leader has become a damned moron." She shifted her eyes to connect with a man she knew well. He had served as Kage when she had and she had always thought him to be smarter than this. Not just her; all the Kages. "We expected more from you."

"Shove it," the Raikage shot back causing Tsunade to chuckle. That was more like the man she knew. He was notoriously obstinate and horrendously foul tempered, but he had been easy enough to predict and in the past had been reliably stubborn. It was nice to see a bit of that come back even if it was a little late. Or perhaps had he not been so stubborn he might have asked for their help, instead of trying to solve the problem on his own.

The sadistic smirk was still firmly in place when she addressed him, noting the numerous nins outside who all seemed to be more than a little nervous. "Shame you did not show Oto that fighting spirit of yours. You should have stepped down before becoming obsolete."

A snorted. "And hand it all off to some young idiot?"

Tsunade shrugged in response and moved to stand. "Who said anything about an idiot? I would say you should consider it, but it's a little late for that."

They both knew what she was implying. A let out a long sigh. The other Kages would follow Konoha's example. It was not a bad offer. Konoha was giving him a generous out and to take it would avoid war. He was not so much a fool, nor was he so prideful, that he would turn down the oppertunty to save his people. "Darui, call the council of elders together."

* * *

She was not sure how long they had rested but when she woke she was warm. Her hand was gripping Gaara's maroon shirt and she remembered where they were. The fire light illuminated his skin and slowly she brought herself to a sitting position. Jade shifted from the scroll he had been deciphering intently to her and he waited while she got her self settled before him.

She had leaned back a little bit more than he tried his best to ignore the disappointment that developed with the lack of her touch. Her retreat was halted by the crunch of paper under her shins. Her hands grazed over the symbols on the scroll as her eyes shifted to regard it. There was not much to read, just five kanji, a reminder for the user more than an instruction manual. It showed how to seal ones chakra but not how to reverse the effect. She wondered if he had been sorting out the issue of her seals the whole time she had rested. His features were a little drawn and she suspected that such had been the case.

"Sakura," he whispered as he held his hands out for hers. "your hands please."

She blinked a couple of times in curiosity. Chakra glowed on his fingertips with the outline of the five kanji that she had seen on the paper but in different order. She quickly understood what he intended to do. Eagerly held her hands out. She placed her wrists on his knees and felt the warm sensation of chakra push into her flesh.

In an instant her reserves came flooding back and her lips parted at the sensation. Her head rocked back exposing her neck. He had forgotten how much chakra she kept tucked away in case of an emergency and it must have been jarring for it to all return to her so quickly. The diamond on her forehead flashed green. When she lowered her head she was smiling. "Oh, that feels so much better," she said flexing her fingers. It had been odd to not have her full strength at her disposal. She felt weak without it, but now that it was back she felt more like herself. "Thank you."

"Hn." She knew what that meant. She had been around him, and other men that spoke the same monosyllabic language, enough to know that the sound was not what she was interpreting. His body language and the way he turned his head to the side said that thanks was not necessary.

"You did not have to do all this," she insisted, tilting her head to meet his gaze and scooting forward at the same time. He was hard to read at first but she was a quick study. He was showing her in his own way that he was happy to have her near and that he cared. The question was how much did he care. She decided to test it. And why not? Even with the fire the sand dome was chilly and there was no better place to be then within the Kazekage's immediate presence. Hell, she still would have said that had they been in the desert sweating.

"I would not leave you," he said quietly knowing she was close enough to hear.

"Well, I appreciate it." She truly meant that. One look at the man before her reminded her of how much he had done already to help her. She was free and it was all thanks to him really. He had travelled from Suna to find her as a captive and had immediately set about devising a way to get them both to safety. He had to have been travel weary when he arrived in Kumo but that had not stopped him. Things had been moving non stop since and though it did not show, she knew the constant use of his chakra had to be draining. At least in that there was something she could do to help. She activated her chakra and let it flow through to her hands. "Here, let me." She reached out for him settling her hands on his chest just below his collar bone. The warm presence of her chakra on his skin and in his system was familiar to him. She had lent him chakra before but he never quite got used to how good it felt.

"Hn." He was not sure when she had managed it, but at some point during their exchange she had healed the angry rashes on her extremities. He was glad of it. Her skin was beautiful and he did not like to see her injured in any way.

A small wrinkle formed on her forehead just under the green diamond, which only happened when she was concentrating on something with all of her might. "If you don't mind I'm just going to clear a chakra build up I found in one of your veins... it should not hurt," she said in what he could imagine as her bedside manner.

He nodded his consent and did his best not to break her concentration. He felt her chakra swim through his system, seeking out a specified target. He had an idea what she was aiming for. He often had headaches when he used too much chakra at once but as of yet had not gotten a chance to have it seen to. The tension that built up behind his eyes released, gently ebbing away.

He took few long seep breaths in revelling in the lightness. He had thought the small problem to merely be overuse of chakra, not a build up. Whatever it had been he was glad she had fixed it. His hands raised to her waist to steady himself and he paused when his thumbs came into contact with the thump of blood in her veins. She had inched closer once more, almost sitting in his lap. She was so close to him that he could see the faint dusting of freckles on the tops of her wrists. The blush on her cheeks and the race of her heart told him the truth. Their proximity made her react to him in the same way that he did to her.

The knowledge brought his thoughts into a sharp focus. The new information had made his mind race to all sorts of conclusions and potentials. The way she peeked at him though her lashes when she thought he was not looking, the way her heartbeat had picked up to match his when their skin touched, and the way a light petal pink dusted across her cheeks whenever he got close was telling. She was attracted to him, in the same way he was attracted to her.

"Are you alright?" She asked concern heavy in her voice.

"Much improved." His hands moved around to her back gently as if he might break the genjutsu he was under or injure her somehow. Neither occurred, nor did she object to his touch. She subconsciously leaned into it, enjoying the security of his presence.

She was relieved. At first when he had not said anything she thought something was still wrong. The build up must have been there for some time and she doubted he got check-ups regularly. Like most active nins, he probably only went to a medic when the situation was life or death. Most emergency situations would give a medic no cause to check for such things and it had probably been overlooked for far too long. "I'm glad. I probably should have waited until we got to Konoha but if you feel better then I'm happy. I get carried away sometimes," she explained congenially. "When we get home I can help with more if you have a few minutes for a proper exam."

"I would appreciate it greatly," he said staring into beryl irises, momentarily loosing himself in them.

She watched him carefully, trying to figure out if he was alright with all of this. She was just a breath away from him now and in years past she could imagine his sand coming up to push her away. So far nothing of the sort had happened. Instead he was welcoming. His fingertips pressed into her back as he regained his composure or tried to. Her healing should have released pressure and made him more relaxed. Somehow he was tense, though it seemed anxious rather than physical. Or nervous. She could not be sure, but she knew how she felt.

His muscular arms were holding her in place and it was hard to pretend like he was not effectively hugging her to his person. Her lips parted as she peered into a sea of light jade. The patterns in his orbs were intricate shades of vibrant green, gold, and blue. The way he watched her made her stomach flip and her limbs buzz in anticipation. She had said she wanted to kiss him and that sentiment had not gone away. It looked as if he was giving her the perfect opportunity.

Neither knew who closed the distance first but Gaara had to admit he did not care. The way her lips had parted as she felt him watching her, the way her lashes fluttered when he leaned in letting deep green peak through, and the way she gently guided him forward, the skin of his neck burning from her touch. Their lips met and for a moment they were still, as if both mutually surprised that the other was not objecting. Their lips moved against each others and he pulled her to his chest. Sakura gasped as the hard muscles pushed against her softer flesh. She melted and began to kiss back threading her fingers through his short red hair.

Gaara's hand trailed up her side brushing the curve of her breast before landing on her cheek gently. They continued in the gentle caress for a time until, in need of air, they pulled back just enough to breathe.

He felt her lips move to say something and then they both froze. The wind was still howling, and their breath still came fast, but there was something else there. A menacing aura that made no sound at all but that two hardened warriors recognised instantly. Both lifted their hands, Gaara to call his sand and Sakura to cover her fists in chakra.

Purple energy sliced though the sand barrier and both rolled to dodge it. The sword swiped to the left sweeping the sand away and replacing it with the flurries that continued to fall. They waited for a second strike that never came. Gaara had kept her close as they rolled away for the attack and now turned so that he could see what they were up against. Whatever it was they would face it together, shoulder to shoulder.

A dark boot stepped into their line of sight from around the edge of the sand and the hand that Gaara had yet to remove from her back tensed.

"Sakura," Sasuke called as he revealed his face. Slowly a hand raised from his side, palm upturned to her. "Come with me."

* * *

End comments: Then big show down comes next. I had originally planned for it to be in the this chapter but it was not to be. We are about half way through this fic I think and with the holidays I will make you no promises on when exactly the next update will come BUT I will finish this. I also have some others to post and I will not leave you hanging for too long, I promise. The next chapter has been started so I imagine it will be up by the end of the week. I hope things did not move too quickly and that all was as they should have been. Until next time!


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: Life has been crazy and this chapter took much longer than I thought it would. I just couldn't seem to get it right no matter how hard I tried. Then I realised we were coming up to a month without an update. So I buckled down. I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters.

* * *

For what seemed like an eternity they stood in silence, pale specs of ice swirling around them in a turbulent dance guided by gales of wind. Sakura felt Gaara's hand at her back. They had fought against Sasuke before. They knew what was coming and both kept their eyes averted from his. "Sakura." The dark man sounded her name again, this time firmer and more demanding. He had never liked to repeat himself.

She kept her shoulders back and her head as high as she could whilst not looking into his piercing gaze. "What do you want?"

"You." The statement stilled her heart. How many years and she waited to hear him say that? So many long years that she was no longer waiting. She had moved on. It sounded as she always thought it would, but she supposed that somewhere along the line her expectations had changed. That dream had been hollow and full of pain. Only when time and maturity had separated that fantasy from the cold and lonely reality of loving him did he fulfil her desiccated dream. She took a breath and thought it over, allowing her shock to dissipate and common sense to come crashing back into her. That desire had long since faded into nothing but a dull memory from her past.

Her hand flicked out sharply gesturing back towards Kumo. "And all of that was?"

"Necessary," he stated conclusively.

"Bullshit," she snapped, shaking her head sadly. He did not want her. Not really. How could he want her, the real her? He did not even know her; not as she was now. "What do you really want?" Her voice held suspicion and was far more wary than Sasuke wished for it to be. She did not trust him and that might prove to be a problem.

Sasuke now knew he had made a mistake. Somewhere in his carefully crafted plans he had either not been drastic enough, or not gentle enough. It seemed, when it came to Sakura, he was never caring enough. It was not something he knew how to rectify, nor did he wish to really. This was who he was and he had no intention of changing. But, with that said, he had a goal and if it was a truth she needed she would get one. "I mean it," he said simply, hoping that a little reassurance would solve everything and she would bounce up next to him as she had when they were young.

"I don't believe you." Gaara could hear the hurt under the disbelief and could not blame her for feeling such. After all this time and all that had transpired, of which he only knew the minute details, it was absurd of Sasuke to expect that to be all he needed to say. Such declarations would not work on her. Not any more. Her sharp intake of breath was followed by the tightening of her fists. "Why? Why do you want me?" It was a valid question. If he was looking for her help and merely went about it in a misguided way then perhaps she might forgive him in time. If not, she may find it harder to forgive him of more nefarious intentions.

The statement that followed was colder than it should have been, but slightly warmer than anything else that had transpired to date. "You know why."

"No, you're going to have to spell it out for me. Or is that too annoying?" Her brusque question was met with silence. If it affected him he did not show it, so she continued, piecing together as much of the puzzle as she had yet been able to. "Let me guess, you want more Uchihas." None of them were surprised that she had come to that conclusion. It was obvious really and Sakura was not foolish. "There are plenty of women who would be more than willing, I'm sure. The red head with glasses might be a good place to start. She seems devoted to you and is strong." Sakura could not remember the girls name but they both knew who she meant. If not her, then there would be plenty of others who would see the handsome Uchiha as a man to be saved. She knew that all too well. She had been one of them.

Sasuke took a step forward and frowned when sand whipped about before Sakura menacingly. They were smart not to let him close and not to look him in the eye. He intended to take any opportunity he saw and with them being as wary as they were things were bound to get complicated. Sabaku no Gaara. He respected the nin, more than he did most others, but the red head was in the way and had been from the start of this little endeavour. He would not be allowed to interfere or stand next to Sakura so intimately. The former jinchuriki would be dealt with before the day was through.

Petal pink mingled with snow. Sasuke allowed a hollow smirk to appear on his features. He hated to express himself in such a way, but there was still the possibility that Sakura, if given enough incentive, would follow him of her own accord. Gaara would not be able to stop her, not for long at least. Sasuke extended his hand out further taking another step. "It has to be you."

Sakura cringed at the words that floated to her on the wind. She did not doubt that in his mind he thought that. Such had always been the way with him. Once he set his mind to something it was next to impossible to make him see any different. Only brute strength to match his own made him back down, and more often that not it only fuelled his competitive streak instead. "It really doesn't." There was a tinge of melancholy in her tone that neither male failed to pick up on. That sadness quickly transformed back into indigence and anger. Sakura now knew he wanted her, but but she was not so naive to think that it was purely for the sake of love. There was more to it than that, and she would argue that love had very little to do with what was going on. "What else? What am I missing? Gaara?" Pleadng, she turned and softened her gaze.

"The treaty," his voice was strong but quiet, and she wondered if he had struggled over whether to say anything at all. It was a warning, a chance for Sasuke to come clean. He was not even sure why he had extended the opportunity, but it had seemed wrong to jump at the chance to sully the bonds the pair had once formed without allowing Sasuke to tell her the truth of his own accord. Gaara did not think it would change the outcome, but ultimately this issue fell down to the two Sannins that stood before him. He could not stop Sasuke from taking Sakura if she did not help him, and he could not keep Sakura from leaving if she chose to.

"What did it say Sasuke?" It was a moot question really. She had a pretty good idea what it said. Still, there was a part of her that needed to hear it. She needed to know how far Sasuke had been willing to go to get what he wanted. "Gaara, please. I want to know for sure."

The Kazekage narrowed his eyes knowing it would do little good. The Uchiha was keeping his mouth shut, which was possibly the smartest thing he could do at this point. "He wants you to abandon Konoha for Oto and become the Uchiha matriarch." He had not said much but the implications were strong.

It started as a twist of her lips and gradually turned into sneer the likes of which neither had ever seen on her face before. "Abandon Konoha, become your wife- oh excuse me 'matriarch'- and let you attempt to kill my best friend and everyone I hold dear. Was that all?" She demanded. "You had me taken so you could destroy my home and then what? Kill everyone I care about? You thought I would just go along with that?"

It was barely noticeable but she knew him well enough to read the subtle signs that he gave off. The tilt of his chin gave away a telltale flicker of his pattered orbs from her face to her wrists. That was all she needed to confirm it. The sealing had been his idea and it was possible he had not intended to remove it for some time. Her eyes narrowed and a low hiss seeped through her teeth. "How could you?" The hurt she was experiencing paled to the outrage that pumped in her veins.

She finally understood. Having A seal her chakra, moving her to a secure location, Gaara's hesitancy to tell her what was in the treaty- it all confirmed her suspicion, one she had desperately hoped was misplaced. He had wanted her to willingly sign away everything she held dear; her loved ones, her accomplishments, and her freedom. He had tried to back her into a corner, where no other viable option would present itself. Her or them, and he knew what she would choose.

She could not tell if the pain in her chest was a heart attack or fury but whatever it was it made her want to scream and punch something. "You would really go that far!" she accused, not expecting an answer. She already knew it to be true. She had seen his plan in action, but a small part of her had hoped for better from him, though she did not know why. He would have taken her by force, threats, coercion, bribery, seduction, anything. What ever it took. She would have been his prisoner, and if he had his way she would have had no choice but to agree to it willingly. "No."

"No?" His chin tilted up, the closest thing to shock she was likely to see from him.

She did not back down. Instead she straightened her back and squared away her shoulders. "No, I won't go with you. I am a kuniochi, a healer, damn it! I have worked hard to get here. There are people I love and cherish and I will protect them. I'm not going to let you take any of that away." She could feel the start of furious tears threaten to impede her vision. She shook them away, focusing on the sand that circled around her in ring of protection. It was a reminder, along with the man that wielded it, that there were those who would be hurt to see her go. There were those who supported her and her accomplishments and wanted to see her happy. She would never forgive herself if she let them or herself down. Going back to Sasuke now, under such circumstances, would be a betrayal of her self and those that cared for her. "It's always all about you, isn't it. What you want; no compromises. What about what I want! You don't care about how loosing all of that would make me feel, do you?" She ground out between clenched teeth and tight jaws.

There was no sympathy in his stance as he continued his deliberate march forward. "You will not need others or such petty condolences." His fingertips lit up in white hot flaming kanjis. That was all he needed in order to take alway everything she had worked so hard for. One well placed hand on her skin and she would be next to useless once more.

"Go fuck yourself." The words were slow and deliberate, the set of her jaw and the determination that rolled off her in waves informed Sasuke that she was quite serious. She was genuinely and vehemently turning him down. She was not trying to draw assurances from him and was not going to be persuaded by anything he did now. It left only one option in his mind.

Sasuke took another step towards her with his hand held out, but paused at the slither of sand that rose to meet him. "Stay out of this," he said, warning the Suna leader. This was between him and Sakura and had nothing to do with the interloper. The sand nins presence had stopped being a mere irritant and had started to truly make him angry, not to mention the fact that the child of the desert seemed to be closer to Sakura than was tolerable. They stood so close that her arm was touching his chest; closer than friends or comrades. Her petal pink hair was grazing the mans collar bone every time the cold gusts of air blew past them.

Gaara looked down to Sakura. If she was ready to fight her old teammate then he would stand by her. "She does not wish to go with you." The steel in his voice carried over the wind and Sakura found herself drawing closer to the wonderful man at her side. It was not his fight, but she was grateful for his assistance for as long as he was willing to give it.

"And you're going to stop me?" Sasuke said, almost taunting them with a sneer. His attention flickered between the two who stood in solidarity against him. His eyes fell to the arm that linked the pair together. Gaara had not moved his hand from her back. Sasuke felt something well up in the back of his mouth, leaving a lump in his throat and a sour taste behind. All he really wanted to do was rip that hand off and create distance between them. He would need to in order to take Sakura back to Oto. With Gaara fighting at her side they could overpower him, for as much as he was not fond of the Sand nin, he had to give credit where it was due. Sabaku no Gaara was not one to be taken on lightly. By employing a well planned strategy they could find themselves victorious. "Then I'll have to kill you," he said, the only sign of his intention was the subtle flex of his fingers.

Sasuke was as fast as they both remembered, but they were ready. Sakura released her seal immediately, the dark markings crossing over her pale skin. She stepped forward clenching her fingers into fists and sat back into her stance, keeping her legs bent more than usual. Gaara knelt and they all felt the earth tremble as dark shimmering particles lifted from the dirt and filled the air.

The purple energy of Susanoo gathered around Sasuke menacingly. Sakura braced herself. The purple blade that had interrupted her moment with the Kazekage came down on them, intending to separate them. The partially developed skeleton was troublesome and she intended to show her old teammate how far she had come. She smirked. He would need to do better than that if he wanted to take her by surprise. Her chakra built up further and she raised her arms to catch the blade as it came down. Black sand reinforced her grip, protecting her bare hands from the impact. A shout escaped her as she shoved the sword away, dragging the skeleton into her strike zone. Her fist hit bone and the underdeveloped ribcage cracked under the pressure.

Her fist broke through the purple barrier, causing it to break away in fragments. Sasuke dodged the first few punches that flew his way but was not expecting her to sweep her foot into his own. The arch caught him painfully in his achilles heel, causing a shooting pain to rocket up his leg. She had only clipped him but the chakra had managed to sever part of his tendon. Sakura recognised the inhale of his breath and flash stepped out of the way. The fire ball was met by a wall of sand that pushed the blaze out towards the forest. Sakura deftly landed within the confines of the sand barrier and prepared for the next attack.

Sasuke heard the slither behind him and jumped through the air to dodge. He darted away from the tendrils expertly noting the pattern. He turned his eyes to the man at the centre of the sand shield, who stood coolly with arms crossed. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. Sakura had disappeared, hiding herself behind Gaara's sand to mask her movement. He searched and found nothing. The pressure of her punch hit his face. It was not a full strike but it still dolled out damage. A sand rope had snapped around his waist to hold him in place. He felt sand reinforced knuckles ram into his cheek bone. He heard a crack and immediately switched places with a fallen branch near by.

Sakura did not let up. She rushed towards him and he stepped back for the first time when a wave of sand rose at her her back. A flying knee threatened to tag his ribs as he spun out of her reach, but he was not clear yet. He jumped onto a near by tree to keep from being pulled under the swirling mass of glittering granules. The tree shook as she pulled it out of the ground by it's roots to fling him across the clearing.

Sasuke landed on his feet and pulled out his sword. He saw the tilt of her lips as they both moved to meet in a clash of lighting covered steel and razor sharp charka scalpels. The blade caught her, slicing her outer arm. Sasuke immediately reached out to grab her, only to find that she was behind him weaving symbols. The water dragon hit him at full force and her felt the electric current rumble up through his spine. His sharingan spun and his ameterasu sizzled when it connected with the liquid, creating a barrier between him and the onslaught of water.

Steam rose around them and Sasuke searched the millions of water droplets to find a trace of either nin. The ground shifted and he felt his ankles sink into the terrain. His hand raised to block the elbow that threatened to split his skull open. Her delicate fingers trailed over his arm and he looked down to find a tag had been settled there. Black flames quickly engulfed the paper as it prepared to activate. With a grunt he jutted his finger tips out hoping to catch a hold of flesh. He smirked in triumph, intent on spinning her around and placing her under a genjutsu. His victory was halted as the kanji on his fingertips pressed into her arm and yet the chakra on her limbs blazed as if nothing had happened. Sand leapt away from her skin, taking his hand with it, worming its way up his arm. The sand coffin grew with each passing instant, squeezing the bones in his limb. He recalled the pressure as the same one he had witnessed many years before.

Sasuke let out a disgruntled huff. The sand continued to squeeze with ever increasing pressure, but it did not bother him. His black flame ignighted and took care of it quickly enough. Blood poured from his eye and he could taste the copper tang on his tongue. He could not afford to dally about. He had managed to loose Naruto, though he knew it would not be for long. Sasuke needed finish this quickly. All he needed to do was touch Sakura, the actual Sakura, just once.

His mind stopped going through the scenarios. Perhaps he had been going about this the wrong way. He heard her battle cry as she raced in to knock him out. He parried her strike expertly and formed an attack of his own. Snakes flowed out of his sleeve and snapped at her shirt as she halted her advance. His following kick to the gut just barely missed her but it gave him the millisecond he needed. As she crossed her arms she saw his lips enter her field of vision quickly followed by a his nose and slammed her eyes shut. Sakura jutted a leg out hoping to create distance, but felt no connection. She dropped down to the ground and dragged her fingers through the now loose dirt. It swept up into an arch creating a screen and momentarily causing Sasuke to blink. The sand shielded her eyes and she began to back up, flaring her chakra scalpels. The impact of a blade on the sand made her open her eyes again, carefully.

Fingers reached out for her neck and she yanked her self backwards, weaving though hand symbols. Spikes of earth appeared before jutting out go the ground between herself and their opponent. Gaara jumped forward to meet her halfway.

The sand came up around her and she barely registered the shift in space before she realised what had happened. She was, in an instant, on the outside of Gaara's ultimate shield, which meant...

"No!" she screeched desperately, catapulting herself back towards the two men. The chirp of the chidori echoed in her ears. Sakura pushed off the ground with her chakra enhanced limbs and flew though the sand barrier, hands held up with healing energy. Gaara flipped backwards to avoid the piercing technique but Sasuke had always been faster than any other save, perhaps, Lee.

The scent of burning meat and iron filled the air as the tell tale squeal of the lightning was muffled by flesh. Her stomach dropped and she frantically reached out for the enigmatic Suna shinobi. Her hands hit his back and she felt him cough, his lungs heavy with blood. Sakura ground her teeth together as she willed her power flow through her and into him, healing as the chidori pushed clean through until Sasuke had impaled the leader.

Sasuke winced at the feel of the grip around his neck. His breathing shallowed as the sand squeezed attempting to make him pass out. He soon would if Gaara did not let up, but he liked the odds. The sharp edged of broken ribs scratched at his flesh, and even with the sand making it difficult to breath his lips lifted in a smirk.

It was a strange experience, to be on the cusp of both life an death. Gaara had been there once before and knew the sickening sensation that coursed through his entire being. His life was being ripped from him whilst at the same time being wilfully held in, just as it had been the first time. Back then Shukaku did not have the strength to save his life; Sakura did.

Gaara looked over his shoulder to glance at the woman behind him. With her at his side he would not die. He knew that, yet a small part of him wanted to be sure he saw that look of determination one more time if it was, by some small chance, to be his last. It was what had initially drawn him to her in the first place. Over the years he and seen that look many times and it never failed to catch his attention. The first time when he had tried to kill her teammates at the chuunin exams, and most notably when she had reached into Naruto's chest to revive him on the battle field during the war were turning points for him. He had never seen someone so fiercely beautiful, and he was amazed to find that this time her determination was focused solely on saving him.

Sasuke's smirk turned to a frown when pairs of green orbs linked for the briefest of seconds while she actively thwarted his intentions. Powerful eyes narrowed. He began to return his hand into the gapping hole to rip the mans heart out, but winced noticeably as chakra sliced through his wrist. The pressure of a chakra laden hand clasped onto his useless one. Slowly, healing Gaara as she moved, she guided the offending appendage through the red heads chest cavity.

Sakura's hands never left the Kazekage, but faster then Sasuke thought her capable of she stood before the Suna leader, her back blocking his path to the man that had thwarted his plan. Her healing chakra poured into Gaara's chest at an alarming speed but she did not stop. The diamond on her forehead blazed as the hole began to knit itself back together. Sasuke shifted his foot aiming to strike once more. Gaara's arms rose and he grimaced. Sakura held onto him as she healed him, allowing the sand to flow around them and fend off their enemy.

The whirl of a rasengan broke through the canopy of white and tan. "Sasuke!" Gaara allowed relief to wash over him and quickly willed his sand to retreat and encapsulate them once more. Sasuke turned to face his oldest rival, moving away from the wind charged palm that came careening towards him.

The glow of her chakra was all that allowed him to see the contortion of her features as she did her best to keep her emotions in check. "I'm so sorry, Gaara." Despite her efforts, after all of the stress of the day, a few errant tears slipped down her cheeks. He could not see them very well in the dark but he could feel the droplets on his skin as she continued to siphon her chakra into his system.

"It is not your fault," he said leaning into her touch, trying not to pas out from the pain that was slowly dissipating.

She sniffed and shook her head. "It is. You're hurt and I-" The caress of corse fingertips wiped her cheeks more gruffly than he had originally intended but he did not like to see her tears.

"I could not stand by," he admitted, allowing on of his hands to travel down to caress her jaw.

Beryl eyes widened as she blinked up at him, somewhat shocked at his forthright statement, but more the tenderness that he had suddenly exposed to her. The care in his touch and tone were hard to mistake. Of course there was the kiss to consider as well. Sakura felt a tug on her cheeks as the pad of his thumb traced her lips. "I think I understand," she said, resting her head under his chin. She dared not let go of his chest, afraid that if she did she might make a mistake. Instead she remained still as his shallow breathing and erratic heartbeat slowly returned to normal. She could hear the blows being exchanged outside and could only imagine the impressive and deadly display the two world class shinobi were putting on. She was glad they had been caught in the middle of nowhere. They remained in the shelter for a short time as she monitored his progress. He was not fully healed but all of the vital injuries had been tended to. "We should step in before the blow up the planet."

He nodded in agreement and released his jutsu, happy to retain what strength he had that remained. The snow had slowed and in-between the flecks of white large patches of grey sky had taken over. A loud boom echoed over the area as the two warriors clashed. Polar opposites landed in the snow, Sasuke breathing hard as Naruto growled defensively when the the darker mans eyes slid past him towards Sakura. Naruto stood to his full height between his teammates, a rasengan held a loft towards his battle weary ex-teammate.

"Sakura." Her name from his mouth was a final demand. His eyes flitted between the three and there was an ache in his chest that he could not and would not try to define. It was clear she was not going to leave willingly and with those two near by he would not be taking her by force either. Not today at least. "Tch." A swirl on the atmosphere dragged him into another dimension.

Naruto snorted at his friends petulant arrogance. Big blue eyes rolled as he retracted his jutsu and began to walk over. Sakura allowed a small smile to grace her features. When he had told everyone he wanted a cape instead of a robe to wear as Kage she had wondered why. Now she knew it was for moments like this. There was a part of her hearts brother that liked to look the part of the hero and he was doing a damn fine job. His Kage uniform whipped about behind him dramatically. "Sakura-chan, are you ok?" he asked as he got closer.

She reached out to hug him with a scolding but pleased lilt to her voice. "Of course I am, you baka. Are you?" she asked assessing his condition.

"Yeah fine," he chuckled as he waved her off. The blonde man brushed his nose with the back of his hand before turning his attention to his fellow Kage. He knew Gaara was hurt, but he also knew Sakura had healed him and felt no need to ask about his condition. Instead there was something far more pressing he wished to say. Blue eyes were as bright as a summer sky when the edges crinkled with a wide smile. "Thanks Gaara, I owe you one." The wide palm of the tall Hokage found it's way to Gaara's shoulder in a familiar gesture. The three of them paused for a moment letting the tension dissipate before Naruto looked around nervously. "You should head home before Kakashi-sensei comes looking for you. You know he gets protective."

"I know." The black lines slowly receded back to her forehead and Gaara noticed that the diamond had not yet disappeared, merely faded a little bit.

"I should probably go get Baa-chan and make sure she doesn't destroy the place," he said, his smile turning to a small frown. The two men seemed to share a silent conversation that Sakura was not privy to. Having come to a decision Naurto turned on his heel and waved over his shoulder. "See you when I get back. We'll get ramen!" It did not much matter which of them he was speaking to. They all knew that no matter the city or the company Naruto would be using their presence as an excuse to indulge in his favourite meal.

As her old friend disappeared in to the snow covered trees she felt a hand at her elbow. His warmth reminded her of exactly how cold it was outside. "I'll see you home." His voice was quiet and she was not surprised. She had just removed an arm from his chest cavity and she was sure everything would be feeling a little sore. Still she did not have the heart to argue with him and in the state they were in she did not think it wise to sit around in the snow. They needed to get to a more permanent shelter that he did not need to keep aloft with his chakra. Someplace warm might help as well, as she had no coat and his clothes now had a gapping hole in the middle.

It reminded her of exactly how close he had come to death. A second longer and he might have died. Regardless he seemed determined to move despite his condition and so they began a slow walk though the falling snow. He had a destination in mind, one that he thought they could both use.

* * *

Baki did not know if it was idiocy or genius that fuelled their current state of affairs and he recalled thinking much the same thoughts when Tsunade had been the reigning Hokage. The Kage summit had once again disintegrated into a collective fit of immature competitions and too much alcohol.

Thankfully most of the official tasks had been accomplished before the busty woman had managed to find a sake bottle. Kumo had not been pleased to find themselves being pressured by the other Kages to replace A, but understood that it was clearly necessary for the alliance to continue unsullied. The vote had been relatively quick and, with a recommendation from the Legendary Sucker herself and a number of council members, Darui found himself next in line to lead his people.

And then the tedious parts began. Someone, and he was not sure who but he was certain in this moment that he hated them with the fire of a thousand suns, had suggested that they all immediately begin to rework their treaties in light of the events. With Gaara gone the duty fell to him to look out for Suna's best interests. The paper work was not really the problem. He had expected paper work when he volunteered to become part of Gaara's elite guard, not quite able to let go of his young student just yet. It was the Kages that were each a handful in their own rights and together were a migraine waiting to happen. Normally with Gaara around they would find themselves tempered to a certain degree, but without that quiet assurity lurking at the head of the table the Kages were cutting up like kids at school with no teacher.

A sake bottle broke on the ground and boisterous laughing broke out amongst the leaders.

"What the hell is going on here!" Oh thank Kami, Baki wanted to shout. A spiky blonde head of hair entered the room and stomped over to his stand in. For a moment it seemed as if the young Kage was going to scold the medic or perhaps get angry. With that being the case they might actually be able to get some work done. Baki's hopes were dashed when the man's shoulders slumped and Naruto began to whine. "We talked about this Baa-chan. Work first, sake later."

What he got for his troubles was a rosy cheeked pout. "Shut up, you brat. It's already finished." The older woman waved at her anbu guard, all of whom had been wise enough to take her orders without complaint, and motioned to the stacks of paper they held waiting for Naruto's signature.

The war hero sighed, looking more than a little weary. He would be up all night examining those papers; such was the life of a Kage. Speaking of, Baki looked around for a telltale crop of red hair but found none. Instead he caught Naruto's eye.

The tall man had the decency to look sheepish, having returned without his counterpart but grinned never the less. "Sorry Baki, he's going to make sure Sakura-chan gets home. Then he'll head back this way to wrap it all up."

Baki was not sure whether to sob or rejoice. Gaara had left it all to him, a sign that he was trusted by his former student and Kage. On the other hand it was a lot of Kami be damned paper work to sift through if he wanted this to be finished by the time Gaara returned. Having finally earned the stoic mans trust so completely, he was not going to risk loosing over not having the documents ready to sign when his leader returned.

Silently he wished his protage luck. Gaara would have to put himself out there if he was going to get anywhere with the pretty Konoha medic, but Baki supposed freeing her from an enemy cell and offering to escort her back home were both big steps in the right direction.

* * *

Gaara looked around the bleak terrain. He knew Sakura was curious as to where they were headed with such determination. Thankfully the storm had calmed considerably and now that they had crossed the border into the land of hot water things were feeling a little warmer. She stayed close to his side monitoring his condition as they travelled and he was glad for it. He felt a twinge in his chest but he supposed that was to be expected after such an ordeal. For almost a month after Shukaku had been extracted he had felt like he had been hit by one of those trams Naruto was thinking of approving for Konoha.

He really needed to rest but he wanted to do so in comfort if it could be helped. If he could hold out just a few more minutes then...

"Gaara?" His name on her lips said with such concern squeezed his heart with a vice grip. It was a question that needed an answer but he was not sure of his state. She would know better than he would if he was physically on the mend. Her hand reached out tentatively for his and he turned his palm to meet hers.

"We will be there in a moment." He felt her fingers weave into his own and he let out an inaudible sigh of relief. He had been a little worried as she had walked along side him in quiet concern. He was not really sure how to address the issue they had broached inside the sand dome. Did she really understand? He wanted to be sure.

They walked for a few more minutes in the dying light and he noticed that occasionally she would reach down with her free hand to pick up sticks and tinder, something he started doing as well. He smelled the steam before he saw the cave. He recognised it from a mission a few years back. He sent his sand in to investigate the area. The last thing he wanted to deal with was a territorial animal getting upset with them for stepping into its home.

The cave was clear but when his sand returned he was not pleased to find himself winded. The sooner they could get inside and settle down the better. Sakura seemed to realise what he was thinking for she took longer strides and rushed ahead to prep, regrettably releasing his hand in the process.

By the time he reached the cave entrance she was already setting things up, her sticks set in a small pile on a dry patch of ground. His joined hers as she started the fire and tended it carefully. Sakura turned her gaze to him and smiled gently. "I'll go find us some food. Is there a stream near by?"

He nodded recalling that there was. "About a mile due west," he said, hoping he had remembered that correctly. She looked a little hesitant to leave but after a beat quickly disappeared into the grey horizon with a flash. He did not like to see her go on her own after what had transpired but admittedly he would have been of little help.

Gaara averted his gaze from where she had been standing, annoyed at himself for not saying more and not really being able to go with her to help in catching dinner. But he knew he had about one more minute before he sat down and did not get up again for a while. With careful determination he walked to the back of the cave where the steam was thicker. The natural hot spring was so inviting and he knew that a few minutes in the warm water would not only help him feel better physically but also probably help clear his mind.

Piece by piece his clothing fell off and he slipped into the water. A shuddering breath escaped from his lungs. The warm water felt incredible on his tired muscles. He could just barely feel the rock surface under his feet. He folded his arms on the lip of the springs entrance and rested his forehead on his forearms.

He stayed still for a time allowing the warm water to pull the tension away from his tired bones. He thought he imagined the tingling that shot up his biceps, almost like the buzz of skin on his own, but his head shot up when soft supple flesh grazed the curves of his back.

"Gaara, are you alright?" Jade eyes turned to find emerald ones peering at him over his shoulder. He was staring; he knew that much. Slowly he twisted around and was rendered speechless. She had gotten in the water with out him noticing and had taking off her clothing as well. Haruno Sakura, in all her glory, had willingly joined him for a bath.

"Hn." She took a confident step forward and he barely surpassed a groan when her pert breasts touched his chest and the skin of her thighs connected with his. Gaara closed his eyes for an instant trying to get a hold of himself. He was in no condition to do what he wished to, so desperately.

When he opened them again he immediately regretted having closed his eyes to begin with. Sakura's gaze began to dart about avoiding his own and though she did not step back he could tell she was second guessing her decision. His arms shot out to grip her waist as gently as he could manage whilst keeping her in place.

Sakura relaxed in his embrace. Green chakra glowed under the water and silently she asked for permission, which he gave with a small squeeze to her petite form. Her chakra in his system was so very reassuring and the tightening he had noticed in his chest before dissipated.

"Rest," she insisted, kissing his lips lightly and then nuzzling his cheek affectionately. "I won't go anywhere." Her promise hung between them with sincerity.

Gaara held her as close as he could, somewhat awestruck at the position he had managed to find himself in. A still glowing hand shifted to the newly knitted skin on his chest. He looked down to the faded diamond on her forehead. The mark was begging to be kissed and so he did. He looked down at the gorgeous woman before him and felt an ever increasing stir of desire in his belly. Her lips parted at the hunger that was suddenly apparent in his eyes. "Resting might be difficult," he admitted, not bothering to hide his want for her. "but I will try." Her giggle was music to his ears as she leaned against his muscular frame bringing her head to his shoulder. The smell of cooking fish reminded him that one of them would have to tend to those soon but for the moment he had her all to himself and he would do his damnedest to keep it that way.

* * *

End Comments: I hope that this is as it should be. As stated between the holidays and a new puppy in my life things have been hectic. But I do have the start of our next instalment and I am still aiming to finish this before the end of the year. There will be one or two more chapters depending on the length. So I hope you enjoyed it and I can't wait for the next one. Please forgive any mistakes. I try to fix all I can find but i do not have a beta reader. And reviews are very much welcome and appreciated, but please no flames. Until next time!


	5. Chapter 5

Authors Note: Life has been crazy but I have finally been able to update. and to those of you waiting for Consider all Options next installment I promise it is on its way and almost finished. Therefore without further ado please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters.

* * *

Kakashi did not think it appropriate to sit by the gate nervously flipping through the pages of his tattered copy of Icha Icha, but he was well past the point of caring about what was and was not appropriate. He was making the guards nervous as well, he could tell. Have the Rokudaime Hokage standing over ones shouder for their entire shift must have been intimidating. At least they knew what had brought on this state of perpetual hovering.

He was not moving from his spot until Sakura walked through the gate. If he could have gotten away with meeting her along the road he would have, but he had promised Naruto he would watch over the village in his absence. So there he stood, on the divide that denoted Konoha from the rest of the world and he waited.

He was regretting his decision to send the ninken out on orders only to return when they had intercepted Sakura and not before. He had heard the phrase 'no news is good news' and decided to adhere to that this time. The pack would return with her, to make sure that should anything happen to her she would be safe.

The last page of Icha Icha hit his fingertips and he quickly flipped the book to the start once more. He really should have brought another with him but hind sight was 20/20. He no longer needed to actually read them, having long since memorised each and every one. They served as a comfort more than any thing else and he supposed that having one of his precious books in hand was as good as two.

The second page was grazing his nose when the unmistakable sounds of sand in the air and paws on the ground had him shoving his book into the recesses of his pouch. Pink hair and bright forest green eyes flew through the trees towards the gate at an impressive speed. In hardly a blink she jumped down and vaulted towards him.

"Kakashi-sensei!" The sound of her cheerful voice was in opposition to the tattered state of her clothes. The man that had stood beside her on the sand platform was more forthright than she was as to what had occurred. The gapping hole in his shirt told an interesting tale, one that Kakashi was fairly positive he could guess. The mark of a chidori wound was hard to mistake.

The silver haired man visibly relaxed upon seeing his former student pass through the gate. The Copy-nin stepped forward to meet his quickly approaching student. "Sakura-chan," he said. His hand extended as she got within range, slipping around her shoulders to pull her in for a tight hug. His eyes creased in half moons as the petite medic manoeuvred herself to hug him back, tilting her head to the side to rest on his flak jacket briefly. The embrace was not long but Gaara could see the mutual care rendered. They both pulled back though neither went very far. Kakashi's palm rested on the crown of her head in familiar gesture. "You shouldn't worry an old man like that."

Sakura did not object when the gloves, so similar to the ones she usually wore, tousled her hair. "You're not old sensei," she chided as she poked his side playfully.

A deep chuckle shook the tall man as he put his hand on his hip. "I'm glad you're safe." Dark grey eyes lazily examined his surroundings now that his favorite student was safe at his side. A notably loud blonde was missing and while he knew he should have questioned the manner of her arrival he really did not care how she had been brought back, only that she had been. "I see Naruto did not come back with you." The Rokudaime lifted his hand in greeting to his fellow Kage and comrade. "Kazekage-sama."

The Suna leader's eyes shut briefly in acknowledgement and opened once more when the sound of shifting cloth caught his attention. "Gaara got me loose and brought me home," she said moving to stand next to the impassive Kage, who notably softened at the presence of the young Sannin.

The Rokudaime Hokage turned his grateful gaze towards Gaara and bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Godaime-sama." Somewhere in his gratitude a flicker of realisation set in and his face slowly turned back towards Sakura. Kakashi was well versed in the art of war and he knew what the protocol was for taking a high ranking prisoner. Still, it surprised him to hear one particular word flow from Sakura's lips. His smile turned strained and Gaara had no doubt that images of Sakura being taken captive were currently plaguing the older mans mind once more. "Loose?" He echoed form behind the dark mask.

Sakura did not quite know what to say in response to her sensei's haunted expression. She gave him a big wide grin, reminding him that she was safe and relatively unharmed. It had been many years since she had truly given him cause to worry but it was clear that all he had been doing of late was worrying. "Ummm, can we talk about that over food? We're quite hungry."

Kakashi watched as the Suna nin stood confidently next to his former student. She was quite comfortable in the man's presence, which proved to be something his fatherly instincts insisted he investigate. Affably he shrugged with his half moon, hidden smile. "Sure. My treat." The scarecrow began to walk towards the familiar stall. She knew from previous experience that Gaara would not object to ramen.

Sakura rolled her eyes. Far too many times she had been left sitting at Ichirakus with the bill after one of his promises to pay. This time was likely to be exactly the same, but after so many years of the same pattern she had learned to find it funny. "He says that now," she said with a laugh and then a motion to their left caught her attention. A beautiful sleek falcon swooped down waiting for her to hold an arm out. She did not recognise the bird, but she did recognise the Suna seal on the message. "Oh um, I think that's for you."

Gaara nimbly retrieved the slip of paper, sending the bird back to it's owner. The paper unraveled to reveal a hastily scribbled note.

 _Documents are awaiting your signature._

He recognised the handwriting. Work was calling.

Sakura heard the growl that emitted from him in frustration. He closed his eyes slowly, his shoulders weighing down with the choice that had suddenly been placed before him.

He could stay with Sakura for a very short time and explore what elements they could of this new found relationship they were embarking on. If he left he knew what was waiting for him; lots of work.

She felt the elation of being home leave her. She had thought they would have more time and admittedly she had not thought about what would happen when the time eventually came for him to leave. He had not said, but she could tell from the conflict in his jade stare that he was being summoned back. "I'm guessing you can't stay," she said, stepping in close. She enjoyed the new sensation that had come with standing in his space. It was both comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time. She had not given the phenomenon much thought but she got the feeling it had to do with her attraction to him keeping her on her toes and the trust she had allowing her an unprecedented security.

If he had any objections to her invading his personal space now that there were others around he said nothing. "Hn." his grunt was strained, a sign that he was beginning to make a decision.

"For the record, I'd really like you to," she said with a coy smile and a glance back towards what he could only assume was the direction of her apartment. He suppressed a groan. The thought of spending another evening in the presence of the woman standing before him was so tempting. Her eyes beckoned him and the promise of food, a soft bed, warm shower, and the affections of Haruno Sakura made him want to forget all about honour and duty. He wanted to accept so badly and he might have if he thought she was unsure of his feelings for her. As it stood he had made his intentions clear to her. He would be coming back for her and the relationship would be moving along, but not that night. The other Kages were expecting him and the weight of his responibiities tugged at the back of his mind. Until he took care of this he would have no peace and he wanted to be fully present, mind, body, and soul when they embarked on their journey together. As if she was reading his mind her smile turned into one of acceptance. "But I understand."

His worn and calloused hand reached up to caress her cheek. "Thank you."

"It's really me who should be saying that." Sakura titled forward and left a lingering kiss on the corner of his mouth testing to see if such an action would be alright. She had not gone far when a quick yet insistent pair of lips found hers once more leaving her slightly breathless. For a moment they stared into each others eyes. The guards watched on with keen interest as the quick witted medic was left speechless when they parted.

Slowly and with a very purposeful thought process, as being left breathless did have a tendency to make her forget things (a fact she was starting to come to terms with), Sakura lifted her hand to point at one of the medical pack that she regularly left behind the guard post. Realisation eventually struck and the taller of the two men that stood near by hurried over with the desired items. Without leaving his side she managed to get the pack open and pulled out a few small containers.

Gaara accepted the fresh water and solider pills gratefully noting the sealed plastic that they were in and the familiar hand writing that had labeled the container. She had made these herself and while she had not made them for him specifically he was thrilled to have them.

His free hand tucked them into his pouch while the other squeezed her own hand. "I will see you soon," he promised doing his best not to talk himself out of going back to Kumo. Each step back he took was hard, the hardest when her hand slipped from his. He knew if he did not leave now he might not be leaving for quite a while. She seemed to know it too for she did not say anything. Instead she waved as he exited the village once more, doing her best to hide the disappointment and tinge of sadness that marred her bright smile.

Gaara jumped into the trees berating himself, already regretting his decision. He was going to make it up to her. With one last glance over his shoulder he was surprised to find that she was still there, hand held aloft. Soft pink swayed in the breeze and he decided that he would etch her into his memory. The next time she saw him that smile would be filled with nothing but joy.

* * *

Sakura swirled her tea in the ceramic mug and felt her shoulders drop in dismay. It was cold in Konoha and she once again wondered how they had ended up at Ichiraku of all places. Sakura shivered violently. With her back to the snow laden streets she kept a tight grip on the steaming beverage between her palms.

"So let me get this straight..." Ino's agitated voice trailed off as her foot began to tap against the stool. The chops sticks she had been holding slipped down into the steaming broth. Light blue eyes burrowed into Sakura's face in disbelief and accusation. "One of the most sought after shinobi in the world, known for putting his village before all else, set aside his duty to help you get free, got impaled through the chest by your crazy childhood crush, escorted you half way across the continent to make sure you got home safe, and you let him leave?" She paused in expectation until a small nod shook Sakura's pink bob. Ino sputtered briefly before waving her hands about frantically. "Are you insane?"

Sakura knew that the question was rhetorical, but decided to address her hysterical companion anyway. "Ino-"

A pale hand slammed down on the counter making Sakura jump a little. A wrinkle formed on Ino's brow as she eyed her companion in obvious frustration. With a huff she spoke, cheeks puffed out and a glint in her eye. "The man is super hot!" she exclaimed, gaining the attention of some passer-bys. The noisy blonde ignored the curious looks and continued, egged on by the giggle that echoed from Ayame. "Like, really sexy. If I wasn't in love with most handsome man in the world I might be jealous."

Sakura rolled her eyes. As if Ino had to tell her just how good looking the Godaime Kazekage was. She had witnessed the man in all his glory. She knocked back her tea, carefully setting the ceramic down on the counter. If she had ever had a proclivity for sake she would have joined Ino, but after witnessing Tsunade go on one too many drunken escapades she had decided to forgo that particular pleasure in life. She inhaled deeply bringing her elbow onto the counter and her open palm up to cradle her chin with a forlorn pout. "I asked him to stay but he had to get back to Kumo."

Ino drained her sake and held the container gingerly between her thumb and middle finger. "Forehead, I love you, but really?" she questioned, verging on a lecture. "You like him, right?"

Sakura clicked her teeth doing her best not to get too agitated with her best friend. Ino was the best person to ask for advice on men, but she also had a tendancy to get on the medics nerves. They had been sitting here talking, or rather Sakura had been updating Ino on the events that had taken place, for over an hour. Ino did not like being left out of the loop and a lengthy mission had kept her away until their current rendezvous. With all that said Sakura had thought it fairly apparent that she liked the man. She had made it more than clear to her attentive companion that Gaara was all that she could think about since their escape from Kumo. "Obviously," she grumbled, feeling more down than she wanted to.

He had said he would be back soon, but that was months before. Had she known it would be this long between their meetings she would have demanded he stay, if only for the night. She was a medic after all. She could have said it was for his health, which would not have been a lie. She wanted to beat her head into the counter top. So many times she had played over that moment in her mind. At the time she had thought she was doing the right thing and she still believed that, but that did not mean she did not wish that the stupid messenger bird had managed to get lost on its way to them.

Ino sniffed and let one blonde brow arch suggestively. "Then you tell him that duty can wait another night and you make sure it's a night he won't ever forget."

Sakura did not like being told things she already knew. Did Ino think Sakura had not already berated herself over letting him leave? Not that she could have forced him to stay really. This was the Kazekage. Duty came first. But damn it all, she wished she had done more to convince him to stay even if just for a few more moments. "I know." It came out as a whine, for she had been plagued by 'what ifs' since his departure and more than a few dreams concerning what she wanted to happen. It was distracting to say the least.

Ino's frustration was back ten fold and Sakura was beginning to regret having confided in her old friend. If she had wanted to be lectured she could have just stayed at home and continued to turn over the events in her mind. But no, she had come out here to get advice. A demanding and slightly shrill voice cut through Sakura's dejected thought process. "You think he changed his mind? Or that he doesn't see you that way? Because, God damn it, I thought we were past all of that insecure bullshit!" Ino shouted, shaking her hands in the air.

Sakura shook her hair, enjoying the way that the recently cut locks swayed around her jaw. "No, I _know_ that's not it." Her emphasis got the point across as she had hoped it would. There was no way in hell Gaara did not like her and find her attractive. They had not been able to do much in the spring but they had been able to talk a great deal and they had kissed, a lot. Gaara was surprisingly affectionate, she had found, and he had certainly enjoyed the fact that they had both been naked.

Sakura blushed heavily. Who was she kidding? They both had. His lean muscled frame had fit perfectly against hers and she love the feel of his calloused fingertips on the more sensitive parts of her skin. They had sat together in the spring and then laid together next to the fire all night getting to know each other better. Perhaps they had moved a little quickly, but they had been acquainted for a long time and she got the distinct impression that he was the sort of man that, once decided, was the all or nothing type. And based on what he had told her she also concluded that he had been pinning (though she doubted he would describe it that way) for quite a while as she had moved on from her childhood infatuation.

Ino had picked up on the signs and nodded in appreciation. "I see. So if he was that obvious about it then why didn't you do something about it?" she asked noting that Ayame was nodding vigorously along with her from behind the counter.

A pink brow rose to a high arch as her voice dropped down a register. "He was still recovering from having his chest ripped open." The words settled between them, allowing the gravity of the situation to dwell in each of their chests. Initially Ino thought Sakura was exaggerating when she had said Gaara had taken a chidori to the chest. No one could survive that. Blue eyes looked over to the serious expression on the other womans features. Sakura must have done some serious healing on the Kazekage for him to still be breathing now. She was not considered one of the worlds best medics for nothing. Never the less the sight of someone you cared for in such a position must have been nerve wracking. Ino considered what she would have done if she had found Sai in such a situation.

A grimace twisted Ino's pretty features. "Right, right. That." Silence prevailed for a time. Slowly the mood lightened as Ino began to hum. "He should be recovered by now though," she said airily, an element of teasing evident in her words.

Sakura narrowed her eyes onto the woman that playfully swirled her noodles in the steaming broth. "What are you getting at?" she asked, clearly suspicious of the all knowing grin that grew on Ino's pink stained lips.

"Well, it is clearly bothering you that you didn't get to spend more time together. And you'll want to move things along if you ever want it to go anywhere," Ino mused, not bothering to spare her friends feelings. She never had, so why would she bother to start now. Sometimes Sakura needed a good kick in the ass to get her moving and Ino would be damned if she was going sit on the side lines while Sakura and Gaara let whatever was between them fizzle out due a silly things like distance and work. Sakura moved to protest but she never got the chance. Before the word had begun to form a slender finger found its way to a spot that was uncomfortably close to her nose, her eyes crossing as she quickly pulled away from the appendage in front of her face. "Letting him see you naked was a good start, but come on Forehead. The man put a lot on the line for you."

A long sigh escaped her as Sakura thought back on what had occurred. "He really did."

Both women were silent for a moment, reliving and envisioning the events that had taken place respectively. "And you really like him," the blonde said after a short time.

Thin fingers raked through recently cut petal pink locks. "I do. A lot," she admitted freely.

"So my question is, what the hell are you still doing here?"

Sakura blinked. That was a good question. She honestly had no idea what to say. No good reason sprang to mind as to why she would be be waiting for him to come to her when she could just go to him.

Her expression quickly faltered as she recalled exactly why she could not leave Konoha alone. Being kidnapped again was not on her list of things to succumb to and she was about to say so when another thought popped to mind.

She could not feasibly go alone. She did not want to deal with fighting Sasuke again if it could be avoided, and she definitely did not want any one else doing so. So long as she was with a group that might be able to cause him some trouble she would remain relatively safe... which meant she could leave if she gathered a few higher ranking nins to go with her for a good reason.

A course of action quickly developed in her mind and in seconds she was jumping out of her seat. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

A sly saucy grin showed pearly white teeth. "That's my girl," Ino said loudly in encouragement to her rapidly departing confidant.

If Sakura was blushing she showed no sign of it. Instead a delicate hand punched the air quickly followed by her trade mark 'Shannaro'. She was pumped and determined. Naruto would have no choice but to put her on the next mission to Suna, or better yet create a mission for her.

Ino laughed as she held her cup up over the counter. "Another please, Ayame, on Forehead's tab. She owes me one," Ino said with a wink sending both women into a fit of conspiritory giggles.

* * *

Gaara looked out of the window to his office. The afternoon sky was just beginning to turn a myriad of colors and the temperature would soon start to drop drastically. He let out a sigh and turned his gaze back to the papers on his desk. Ever since the debacle in Kumo there had been a literal shit storm of documents flooding his desk. His head slowly tilted back until his tired eyes were staring at the ceiling.

He was exhausted and hungry. He was sick of sitting at his desk. Most of all he was tired of that twist in his gut that wracked his system every time he glanced up from his work to find that she was not there. It had been months and he had not had an opportunity to go see her. In the few moments that he had to himself when he was not meditating he had thought about writing, but what would he say that could not be said better in person?

In truth he did not want to say anything, but there was plenty he wanted to do. He had no idea how to express being without her made him feel and he doubted he would be able to do it justice. He also had no notion of how to tell her how much he regretted not staying that night. He should have stayed. Perhaps if he had he would not feel so uneasy about their situation now.

There had been no contact between them since their evening in the natural onsen, followed by dropping her off at the gate and the subsequent kiss. He had left her in the capable hands of Kakashi after he felt the tug of responsibility at his back. He should have ignored it. What was one more night after all?

He was not sure whether to be pleased or furious to find that Baki had taken care of almost everything perfectly and that the note had been accurate. All they needed was for him to read and sign the documents. All his worrying had been for nothing. He could have stayed the night with Sakura and no one would have said a word about it. That night, and every night since, images of what could have been plagued his mind.

Tonight, it seemed, would be no different.

He had never actively missed someone. He thought he had, but it seemed he did not truly understand what it meant to miss someone until now. It ached and he knew that the only solution was to see her again. He would need to start thinking of making a trip to Konoha. He shifted through papers in an attempt to weed out an excuse to leave the village for a short time.

A knock on his office door did not cause him to move. He recognised the chakra signature. Kankuro opened the door and walked up to the desk.

"Tired?" he asked loftily as he scanned the horizon discreetly. Such had become Kankuro's habit since Suna's run in with the Akatsuki all those years prior. One could never be too careful. He did not wait to hear a reply. His little brother had never been terribly vocal and Kankuro had learned to read the air around the impassive younger man. The question did not need answering really. Gaara was almost always weary after a full day in the office and his recent work load had increased that fatigue. "Well, maybe you should take a break."

Papers shifted as the young nin attempted to find a few errant documents. "I can't."

Kankuro was accustomed to being told 'no' by Gaara. It was rare that the leader had time to do much nor did he like to shirk his responsibilities, no matter how redundant. "Come on, it would be good for you," he said scratching the side of his face, not bothering to avoid the purple paint he already knew was starting to smear in certain places. When he was met with nothing but the continued shuffling of paper Kankuro sighed and marched over with purpose. "Alright you're not getting it. Take a break," he insisted shoving his younger brother out of the chair and over towards the door, an act that would have had him fearing for his life in years past.

Gaara shrugged his brothers insistent hands off and turned with a scowl. "Why?" he questioned, pinning the puppeteer with an intense stare.

"Shikamaru just arrived with a team. Why didn't you tell me you managed to steal away my favorite medic?" the jovial man asked with a proud chuckle.

Gaara's attention landed squarely on Kankuro and then quickly shifted to the window that overlooked the gate. "Sakura?" he asked, with hope painfully apparent in his voice. Suddenly Temari's swift exit with a scroll clutched to her chest made sense. He could not see the gate clearly from there but his heart leapt at the thought of her standing there waiting for him.

Kankuro did not quite know what to make of the raw ache he could hear. On the one hand he was glad to see that Gaara was learning to explore romance. At the same time it was somewhat awkward to discuss the topic at any length due to Gaara's nature. His little brother and romance were hard to align in his mind. He could think it over later. For now he would take over the work so that Gaara could enjoy a well deserved break. It was nice to see the dedicated leader be so devoted to someone that could love him back. It was true that the village loved their leader, but Kankuro wanted to see his younger brother happy and this was the first step.

"She's waiting for you." The puppeteer confirmed. He could only assume Gaara heard him, as in an instant sand enveloped the Kazekage and whisked him away. "Good luck," he called before eyed the desk with trepidation. The piles of paper sat dauntingly before him and he knew he needed to make a sizeable dent in this before Gaara eventually returned to his post. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Sakura looked over to her companions. There were a couple of high level chunnins with them for the sake of the exchange mission, but in reality that was mostly for show. Upon leaving Ino at Ichiraku's she had immediately gone looking for Shikamaru, for whether he wanted to admit it or not he was always desperate to get to Suna, no matter the excuse. Together they had approached Naruto about it.

The Hokage had not asked any questions. For a moment his face had screwed up as he considered why Shikamaru would want to go to Suna. She had left that aspect of it to Shika. As far as Naruto was concerned she was actually going to exchange medical ideas and so far as she knew he suspected nothing else. On the other hand Naruto knew exactly why Shika wanted to go to Suna. A blonde siren was calling the shadow wielders name. After a bit of teasing from their Kage they had the permission they required and had left almost immediately.

A little under three days later she was standing at the gate waiting for the groups paperwork to clear. The guard knew who she was of course, but it had all been rather last minute. It seemed they had only just gotten the permit for their arrival from Temari who had rushed it away from Gaara's desk the minute she spotted it and brought it down to the gate. The document had not been officially signed and Sakura suspected that Gaara had no idea she was there so processing it would take longer than expected.

She did her best not to chuckle at the awkward moment occurring between the two spiky haired nins a few feet away. They really were quite cute. They were both blushing like mad and neither could quite look the other in the eye whilst others were there to witness the reunion. Their hands found their way together and Temari looked around in a way that was uncharacteristically nervous. Sakura supposed she had seen Shikamaru do the same thing before when his lady love had visited Konoha.

She waved, gaining attention from the pair who seemed somewhat embarrassed, or was it excited... either way they were glad to have something else to focus on while they are waiting. "Hi Temari!" The air immediately brightened as the two relaxed. She did her best not to laugh at the blushes they both sported or squeal at the linked hands that the pair serupticously hid between them.

"Sakura," Temari greeted with a wave of her own. She dragged Shikamaru forward but their joined hands, her more brash nature making its way to the forefront. "Thanks for bringing this troublesome man with you."

The cheerful woman bounced a little bit, pleased at having helped the steadfast couple see more of each other, even if it had been for selfish reasons. It really did make her feel better at having been so demanding in regards to this particular request. "Honestly, it was him doing me the favor. Can't go anywhere by myself these days."

Temari did not quite scowl but the start of one formed on her features. Everyone had heard the story by now and it got more elaborate with each rendition she heard. Gaara had neither confirmed nor denied the growing rumors about his involvement in her rescue but the small circular scar on his chest did leave Temari curious. One thing that he had managed to convey was his displeasure at the fact that Sakura would no longer be able to travel freely without the looming threat of kidnapping until Naruto could ensure her safety. How Konoha would manage that she was not sure. It seemed a tall order. "I heard. You..." A violent swirl of sand announced the arrival of the man Sakura had journeyed to see.

"G-" She stepped forward before he had fully materialised and then recalled where they were. This was his village. He had a reputation to uphold. She bowed taking into account his standing in his village. "Kazekage-sama, thank you for receiving us on such short notice."

Gaara could hardly believe she was there, pink hair shinning brightly in the warm yellow glow of the street lamp. Thrilled as he was there was one thing he was not happy to see. He walked forward until she could see his sandals. The tender touch of his fingers under her chin raised her posture. To hers and everyone else's surprise as soon was she upright he reached for her. One hand at her back and the other on the line of her jaw, she felt the rush that she had been missing in his absence. He was so warm and the brush of his lips on hers was endearingly gentle. "I want there to be no ambiguity concerning our relationship."

Had she not been so taken aback she might have laughed. He had a way of clearing the air that always knocked the wind out of her. "Of course," she agreed. She had not expected him to kiss her in front of his shinobi.

He leaned forward again, pressing his lips more firmly to her own, proof in her mind that he had missed her a great deal. "I am merely Gaara to you."

Sakura could not help but blush at the direct quality of his statement and the shock of all those around them. She quickly allowed the sensation to pass and slowly smiled brightly, her arms wrapped around his back as she tilted her face up to look him in the eye. "Ok," she agreed shifting in his arms to bring her lips close to his ear. "Gaara, is there some place we can go to be alone?" Black rimmed eyes glided across their audience. Everyone in the area was watching them keenly. He had forgotten about them if he was being honest. She did not seem concerned by their opinions, but they had a great deal to catch up on. They would wish to be alone for such events. He pulled her into his chest and together they disappeared.

The space they entered was dark yet warm. The scent was a familiar one and she knew where he and taken them. Her eyes adjusted to the moonlight to find a sparsely furnished bedroom. Sakura could feel the tension radiating off of him in droves. He was restraining himself. That would not do.

Frowning she tugged him to the bed. It was hardly a large mattress. She supposed he did not really need one as he did not often sleep. For now it would serve her purpose. The springs bounced under her legs when she sat down and once more when he found a space next to her. She was tired and she was sure he was too. Regardless she turned to nuzzle his cheek and felt his lips capture her own once more.

It started slow and deliberate on both their parts, a reassuring and laguid caress that brought the sweetest sounds from her when his hands began to roam as they had the night in the springs. Her fingers played with the buttons of his jacket.

"I missed you," she said with an impish grin. She let out a raukus laugh as his sand pulled at her ankle and in a swift tumble she was staring into turbulent jade as the soft flat of the mattress pressed along the length of her back while he hovered over.

"Hn." Her impish smile transformed quickly to wonder. Gaara ghoasted his finger tips up the back of her thigh as he kissed her neck. Her nails scratched his scalp as she played with his unruly red hair. She kissed the sensitive spot just before his ear, drawing his focus back to her own. Gaara took a long deep breath. She was really there. He laid down, turning Sakura so that they remained face to face. The pad of his thumb caressed the smooth flushed skin of her cheek. "How long can you stay?" Gaara melted into her touch as her expert hand massaged the strained muscles of his neck.

Sakura snuggled into the firm planes of his chest. She tucked her head under his chin and took in his scent, relishing in the feel of her body against his again. "A week. Ten days at the most."

That was not nearly long enough in his opinion. He was already planning on writing to Naruto for an extension of her mission. And he intended to let his assistants know that he would be occupied for most of the week. Work would wait. It was always there and she had limited time. He would have to make the most of it.

* * *

End comments: First, I believe leaving emergency packs for her fellow ninjas is something that Sakura would do and it works for the purposes of this story. Second, the next chapter will most likely be the last. I know! I'll be sad to see the end of this story but I have an ending in mind so for all of you who have stuck it through to now. I hope you enjoyed it. As always I have no beta reader so please forgive any mistakes you find. Reviews are welcome and appreciated but please no flames. Until next time!


	6. Chapter 6

Author's note: The awaited finale has arrived. I won't say too much. This chapter is shorter than the others but I feel that it wraps up everything nicely. In any case I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters.

* * *

Gaara let out a long labored sigh. The house was quiet as he stepped in from the chill of the desert night. The temperature was rising and morning would be upon them soon enough. He slipped his shoes off and placed them near the door when it clicked shut behind him. His afternoon meeting with the council had drifted through the night. He had expected no less. What they had to discuss was monumental both for Suna and Gaara. On the best of days the council really drained the energy out of him and this meeting had been particularly brutal, as he had been in contact with his own council and Konohas as well.

He fought hard for what he wanted. It was not often he went head to head with his council, refusing to back down at all on any point, but there was no room for argument. He was getting his way even if he had to bypass them to do it.

Thankfully all had eventually been agreed upon and to the predetermined requirements. Sadly by the time he had a chance to even look at the clock dinner had come and gone. When he trudged out of the conference room they should have all been long since asleep. It was worth it though. He squeezed the scroll that he had been clutching in his hand like a life line. It might as well have been one.

He knew rest should have been the first thing on his mind. He was tired; he had to be after such a long day but he did not feel it. It was late, or early, which ever was most appropriate under the current circumstances. Regardless, sleep would not be forthcoming even if he did wish to rest. His nerves simply would not allow it.

The smell of dinner was faint but it drew him into the kitchen. Little plastic containers of food sat on the table waiting for him to reheat them. It looked like it had taken time and effort to prepare and was undoubtedly delicious. As much as he wanted a full meal he did not have time to reheat anything or actually sit down. The meeting had gone on for far too long and had threatened to intrude on his carefully laid plans.

He quickly downed the cold miso soup before making his way towards the stairs. As he walked he dropped his kage robes in their allocated places. His keys were placed in the tray on the hall table next to his prized photographs and a beautiful orchid. The flower reminded him of what today was and exactly how quickly he needed to move. He only had a very short window of time now and his plan would have to be adjusted ever so slightly.

With the utmost care he quietly padded his way over to the bedroom down the expertly decorated hall. Light peaked out from under the door a sign that he had become blissfully familiar with. He was sure to avoid the creaks in the floor and turned the door knob, allowing the soft light of a bedside table lamp that had been left on to illuminate his way. His steps brought him over to the side of the bed and he was glad he had taken steps to improving his home, particularly this room. He had splurged a little bit, something he rarely did for his own comfort, but he had excellent reason to do so.

The bed looked so inviting, particularly as it was now, messed and slept in. The silken sheets were crumpled under her weight, though only on her side of the mattress, an invitation for him to make both sides match. It had been a challenge to learn to meditate whilst laying down with her light breathing next to him but it had been worth it to hold her properly as she slumbered. As much as he wanted to get under the covers, pulling her with him as he settled in, they had an appointment they could not miss.

Gaara knelt down next to the bed, sinking into the plush carpet as his hands rose to brush her cheek affectionately. She had fallen asleep on top of the sheets and the side lamp was still blazing. The book she had been reading had fallen to the side. Her pink hair splayed across the light colored sheets as she nuzzled into his touch. The impulse to crawl into bed behind her and wrap an arm around her tummy had to be suppressed once more. There would be plenty of time for that later.

"Sakura," he called quietly. He knew she would slowly float into wakefulness. She was not a terribly deep sleeper and his voice would get through to her without much effort. Her lashes fluttered before green orbs squinted at him in a sleepy haze. His touch moved to the bare skin of her upper arm as she roused. A small sleep addled smile lifted the corners of her lips as she registered his form. Blearily she sat up, her silk pyjamas rumpled and bunched where she had curled her hand into the fabric.

"What time is it?" she asked as she stretched rubbing the drowsiness from her eyes. The fresh scent of her shampoo suggested that she had not drifted off too long ago. She had attempted to stay up for him, as she was in the habit of doing.

"Early," he said noting that the sun would be rising in the next few minutes, and they would need to go before that. "There is something I want to show you."

She was not yet fully alert when she rolled out of bed in her night clothes. He stood waiting for her leaving a space for her to fit into. She recognised the invitation. "Ok," she mumbled with a pleased expression. She snuggled into his open arms, pressing her face into his collar bone. He chuckled and held her close to his chest as he transported them out of the house.

Sakura looked down at the sand between her toes. The chill of the night air prickled her skin and she tucked herself closer to the warmth he produced. Her eyes adjusted to the incoming light of the sunrise, though she did not need to see the environment to know where they were. This was a spot in the desert that he had come to for many years to get away from it all. It had been a few years prior when he had taken her here for the first time. It was their place now, somewhere they went when they truly wished to be alone. No one else knew about their little corner of the world and they could remain undisturbed there.

She took a deep breath, enjoying the distinct scent of the oasis, which was more fragrant on this morning then she recalled in the past. She took a good look around and gasped. They had been there many times before but never had she seen flowers. Silently and with wide emerald eyes, she stepped forward knowing that Gaara was following. Together they sat down at the edge of the water.

The cacti blossoms were at their peak just as the sun burst over the horizon. For a few moments the entire oasis was alight with golden rays and the beautiful light pinks, purples, and reds of the cacti blossoms stretched their petals, holding onto the last vestibules of the night. For a time neither said anything and Sakura felt as if they were both holding their breath. She knew she was, almost afraid that if she did anything the spell might be broken or that she might miss something. Soon enough the dawn light became to much. One by one the flowers began to close and Sakura tucked herself into the crook of Gaara's arm.

"That was beautiful," she said, taking a deep breath of the heavenly fragrance that surrounded them. She rested her head on his firm shoulder, content to be near him. It was a pleasure she did not always get to enjoy, for though she was a regular visitor to Suna, Konoha would only let her remain on a mission or on leave for so long. Eventually she had to go back to her village. The ache in her chest from missing him was her constant companion until one of them found their way to the other. It never took very long. "Thank you for making sure I saw it." She dared not take her gaze from the closing flowers yet but she could feel him shift next to her.

"If you like we can come back every year." In moments like these the gravel in his voice smoothed to a purr and it often reverberated through his body in the most exhilarating way. She instinctively brushed her fingers along the inside of his wrist in appreciation.

"Every year?" She echoed, already trying to sear the date in her mind so that she could be sure to be in Suna for the same time the next year.

His fist clenched next to him before he released it. The whisper that followed hit her like a tidal wave, for while Gaara was very open in his physical affections for her, words proved far more difficult for him to manoeuvre. "I do not wish to ever be without you Sakura."

The seriousness of his tone made her stop. Eyes wide she turned to make sure it was not a mistake. Rimmed eyes were focused solely on her in that way that always made her heart melt with the intensity. No she had not misheard him. He was, as always, quite serious. They had discussed it before in a vague 'what if' sort of manner. The first thing that sprung to mind was the political legalities of such a decision. There would be a number of hurdles they would need to cross, namely the villages respective councils. They had agreed; they would cross that bridge when they were ready.

That had been almost a year ago and she had wondered when they would revisit the topic for it had been on her mind. It must have been on his too. They loved each other and nothing would keep them apart. That much had become painfully apparent. It was only a matter of time before one of them made the move towards living with the other. She had been contemplating bringing it up herself, the idea of moving to Suna, for as Kazekage he would not be moving to Konoha. She was willing to make the desert city her home to be with him, and had decided to tell him just that before she left again. With a positive response from him she had planned to start negotiations. He had beaten her to it in the most spectacular fashion and she had not suspected a thing. "The councils... You spoke to them," she said with a secret smile growing on her cheeks that lifted her face.

He nodded to confirm her suspicion. "It is why I was late. We came to an accord." And it had taken a great deal of manoeuvring on his part to make sure both sides agreed. Thankfully he had Shikamaru sitting in on the conversation to fight for their cause. For once the tactician was using all of his mental capacity, as his own happiness was on the line as well. Not once had the words 'what a drag' left his mouth. With the help of the master tactician they had made the best deal possible.

It also helped that Naruto was on their side. Of course the loveable blonde man had kicked up and fuss and pouted for a while. He viewed Sakura as a sister and he was loath, both as a surrogate brother and Hokage, to see her go to another village but he had known it was coming. Over the crackle of a fuzzy connection the Hokage had listened to his proposal and then fired back one of his own. Scratching at the back of his head the jinchuriki suggested that they could work out something where Sakura remained in Konoha and Gaara joined her. The idea was thrown out half heartedly and was met by rolled eyes and in some cases outrage. With a chuckle and a wide grin the Hokage had shrugged and let out a casual 'it was worth a try' before buckling down to hear the remaining details. Naruto had given his hearty consent to the request causing quiet a bit of ruckus with in Konoha's council. Regardless each member of both councils eventually bent to their respective kage's will. The rest of the evening had been spent ironing out the semantics.

"And? What did they say?" she asked hopefully, the suspense getting the better of her.

Gaara shifted to his knees, turning so that he faced her fully. "Assuming you agree, there will be an exchange. Temari would go to Konoha and you would come here. You will both have free reign to travel between the villages as you see fit, though as Kazehime there will be duties that will require your attention regularly here in Suna."

It took Sakura a moment to realise what he said through her elation at the news. A councils decision was a hard thing to overrule and she had been concerned that when the time came they would have to contest one or both of their village council's edicts. The relief at hearing that he had somehow managed to convince Konoha to let go of their top medic in exchange for Suna royalty was a relief. While neither wanted to see Temari leave her siblings, they all knew where she truly wished to be. And she would be traveling back regularly. Suna and Konoha's relationship had developed into one of thriving friendship and they two villages benefited from that. The road that connected the two hidden villages was safe and well guarded so much so that even Sakura was able to travel mostly unaccompanied.

It was his anxious stare that made her think back over the words and then one in particular stood out. Sakura took in his stance and the way he appeared to be nervous. Kazehime. The word he had spoken echoed in her mind. Her heart beat jumping in her veins. Slightly out of breath Sakura into account every nuance of the man that she loved inside and out. He was nervous and excited. His steely expression was so earnest that she could not look away, nor did she wish to. "Is this..." her voice trailed off in question as captured her smaller hands in his larger ones.

The yearning touch of his hands halted her words. He kneeled before her studying her face in the early morning light. All she could do was stare at him in slight shock as he began to speak, for while they had talked about her moving to Suna, marriage had yet to be brought up. She had thought that they would discuss it after living in the same city for a time, but it seemed Gaara had other plans. It was surprising. Gaara was usually the more cautious of the two, but not in this. He knew what he wanted. "I am of the understanding that important requests such as this one are to accompanied by surroundings of equal measure."

Part of her wanted to cry. Such a gesture from Gaara meant a great deal, for while he was a man of action, his affections usually came in the form of a more intimate variety. He struggled to express himself sometimes and she understood that. Love was not his most fluent language. He had been learning with her help, and for all that he did not think himself to be eloquent his verbalisations could be heart stopping. For a moment all she could do was gape at him in astonishment. If she was honest she was still bowled over by his first announcement. Slowly the brightest smile she could have sworn had ever graced her own face lit up his eyes. "You heard correctly." Sakura reached forward grazing his lips with hers.

His eyes closed. She did not seem to realise how anxious he was. She had not answered him, not really and he discovered upon quick reflection that inspite of his plans he had failed to ask her anything at all. The question he had repeated over and over in his mind had not formed on his lips. Now he was panicking, or as close to panicking as he could get. He had brought things with him for this moment. He reached down to trap the item that hung from his belt but found her hand already resting on the shiny new Sunagakure hi-ate. She was beaming at him, and while he could not say he was thrilled to have diverged from his script, it seemed that she had not minded in the slightest. She always seemed to have an idea of what he meant without him having to say it fully. This time he did feel the need to clarify though. It was of the utmost importance. "I know that you will always be a Kunoichi of Konoha at heart, but it is my wish that the place you return to be my side." He never wavered but Sakura could tell he was getting anxious. It was showing and if she could see it in his eyes then it had been brewing for a few minutes already.

"It already is." She felt the familiar granules of sand wrap around her finger. She had not noticed it before but a ring of sparkling diamond granules had already found its way into his finger, and one was forming on hers.

It was not the tradition here in Suna to wear such a symbol. Nor was it in Konoha until recently. More western ideals had made their way into the ninja world and it seemed that Gaara appreciated the meaning behind the wearing of rings. Behind his impassive nature laid a mostly dormant romantic, but when they were alone it managed to sneak out. Yes, she would be wearing the robes of the Kazehime but he wanted to world to know they were linked even when she was wearing civilian clothes. She was more than happy with that.

Once the ring had fully materialised she launched herself forward plunging them both into the sand. His arms instinctively secured her in place. This was his favorite place to be, fully cocooned by his lover as she showered him in kiss after searing kiss. He relished in the press of her lips against his as he felt the thin strap of her pyjama top fall from her shoulder. Nibble fingers twisted into his unruly hair in a way that had become so familiar to him it was akin to breathing. Slowly her kisses became lighter as the sun continued to rise around them. Her thumb came down to rest over the soft skin of his neck.

"You should rest," she said smiling so wide it almost hurt. She did not really want him to, but she also knew how long he had been awake. If he had been with the council since he had left her after lunch the day before then he would have been fighting for them, the life they wanted, this whole time.

He reached up to twine their fingers together before changing their positions with ease. Her legs rested on his and he could not deny that this was one of his favorite ways to view her, dishevelled and scantily clad, her limbs straddling his hips as he hovered over her. And in this golden light he could honestly say she looked purely divine. With a yank on their still connected hands she pulled him in close, and invitation that he never turned down. "That is the last thing on my mind koi," he said with a smile, loving the way her precious laugh filled the desert air.

* * *

End comments: Ah, so it is finally finished. For those of you reasong my fic Consider All Options, I will be focusing no that for the time being and I will also be wrapping up any old fics that I failed to complete before my hiatus. after that I have a few more to upload so keep you eyes peeled. as for The Rescue I have always wanted to give these two a happy ending where Gaara gets married and so forth. I didnt want to delve too deep in the semantics of what that might entail nor did I want to focus on how Sakura was probably still having to be escorted back and forth between the villages because of Sasuke. Suffice it to say I just wanted to tie this up with a bow and I feel that this does that. So for all my GaaraSaku fans I hope this gave you all the warm and fuzzy feels. As always I have no beta reader so please forgive any mistakes you may find. Reviews are always very much appreciated but please, no flames. Until next time!


End file.
